Information processing apparatus, recording medium and information processing method

ABSTRACT

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium has recorded therein a program for causing a processor to function as: a touch information acquirer configured to acquire touch information regarding at least one of an area and a shape of a touch area on a touch panel with which an object comes in contact; and a determiner configured to determine, when the touch information acquired by the touch information acquirer indicates that a contact between the object and the touch panel is present, whether input of an instruction regarding a direction in the touch panel is present, based on the touch information.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a Continuation application of PCT Application No.PCT/JP2019/008549, filed on Mar. 5, 2019, and is based on, and claimspriority from, Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-064163, filed onMar. 29, 2018, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus andto a recording medium having a program for the information processingapparatus recorded therein.

Description of Related Art

Devices are widely used that receive input of an instruction from a userby using a touch panel (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-OpenPublication No. 2014-44455). Such a device receives an instruction fromthe user corresponding to a touch position on the touch panel.

When a user does not intend to input an instruction by a touch panel,for example, the user needs to place the user's digit in an area inwhich input of an instruction cannot be input on the touch panel(hereinafter, “neutral area”). However, when the touch position on thetouch panel deviates from the neutral area, an unintended instructionmay be input via the touch panel.

SUMMARY

The present invention has been made in view of the problem describedabove, and it has as its object provision of a technique that canprevent occurrence of input of an unintended instruction via a touchpanel, regardless of a position touched on the touch panel.

To achieve the stated object, a non-transitory computer-readablerecording medium according to an aspect of the present invention hasrecorded therein a program for causing a processor to function as: atouch information acquirer configured to acquire touch informationregarding at least one of an area and a shape of a touch area on a touchpanel with which an object comes in contact; and a determiner configuredto determine, when the touch information acquired by the touchinformation acquirer indicates that a contact between the object and thetouch panel is present, whether input of an instruction regarding adirection in the touch panel is present, based on the touch information.

An information processing apparatus according to another aspect of thepresent invention includes a touch information acquirer configured toacquire touch information regarding at least one of an area and a shapeof a touch area on a touch panel with which an object comes in contact;and a determiner configured to determine, when the touch informationacquired by the touch information acquirer indicates that a contactbetween the object and the touch panel is present, whether input of aninstruction regarding a direction in the touch panel is present, basedon the touch information.

A method of processing information according to still another aspect ofthe present invention includes acquiring touch information regarding atleast one of an area and a shape of a touch area on a touch panel withwhich an object comes in contact, and determining, when the touchinformation indicates that a contact between the object and the touchpanel is present, whether input of an instruction regarding a directionin the touch panel is present, based on the touch information.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an external appearance of aninformation processing apparatus 10 according to a first embodiment 1.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration ofthe information processing apparatus 10.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functionalconfiguration of the information processing apparatus 10.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining an example of an operation of theinformation processing apparatus 10.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a thumb F of a usertouches an operation area R with a pressure that is less than a firstthreshold.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the thumb F is tilted.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of aninformation processing apparatus 10 according to a modification A1.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a state at an instant when a touch-inby the thumb F has occurred.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of setting of the operationarea R.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another example of setting of theoperation area R.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating another example of setting of theoperation area R.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating another example of setting of theoperation area R.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of movement of a touchposition and a transition of a pressure applied to a touch panel 11.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of touch positions P6 toP8.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of the informationprocessing apparatus 10 including the touch panel 11 in which aface-direction-instruction-input area Ra and anoffensive/defensive-motion-input area Rb are set.

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating an input presence determiner 146A.

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating an example of a change in the pressureto the touch panel 11.

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen coordinatesystem and an operation coordinate system.

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating a display example in a case in which adetermination result by an instruction determiner 147 indicates anupward direction.

FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating an example of a touch area S betweenthe thumb F and the touch panel 11 in a reference state.

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating an example of the touch area S in arightward instructed state.

FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating an example of the touch area S in anupward instructed state.

FIG. 23 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of aninformation processing apparatus 10 according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 24 is a diagram illustrating an example of a determination table J.

FIG. 25 is a flowchart for explaining an example of an operation of theinformation processing apparatus 10 according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 26 is a flowchart for explaining another example of the operationof the information processing apparatus 10 according to the secondembodiment.

FIG. 27 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of aninformation processing apparatus 10 according to a modification B2.

FIG. 28 is a diagram illustrating an example of a right-and-leftdetermination area Rc.

FIG. 29 is a diagram illustrating an example of a determination tableJ1.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS A: First Embodiment

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an external appearance of aninformation processing apparatus 10 according to a first embodiment. Theinformation processing apparatus 10 is a mobile information processingapparatus, for example, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a portable gameapparatus, or the like. The information processing apparatus 10 includesa touch panel 11.

The touch panel 11 is an apparatus in which a display that displays animage is integrated with an inputter (not shown) that receives input ofan instruction. The touch panel 11 displays various images. The touchpanel 11 detects a touch position by using, for example, anelectrostatic capacity determined by an object coining in contact withthe touch panel 11 and the touch panel 11. The touch panel 11 outputstouch position information regarding the touched position on the touchpanel 11. The touch position information indicates at least a touchposition on the touch panel 11.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a touch position on the touch panel 11 isdefined by an X-axis and a Y-axis that are orthogonal to each other atan origin O set on the touch panel 11. The X-axis and the Y-axis arelines parallel to the touch panel 11. The X-axis corresponds to ahorizontal direction of the touch panel 11, and the Y-axis correspondsto a vertical direction thereof. In other words, the X-axis correspondsto a lateral direction of the touch panel 11, and the Y-axis correspondsto a longitudinal direction of the touch panel 11.

The information processing apparatus 10 displays an image of a game onthe touch panel 11, by performing an application program of the game.

In FIG. 1, the touch panel 11 displays an image indicative of a virtualspace V regarding the game as an image of the game. A character C isarranged in the virtual space V. FIG. 1 illustrates a state in which aface B of the character C faces the front. The image of the game is notlimited to the image illustrated in FIG. 1 and can be appropriatelychanged.

An operation area R is set on the touch panel 11. The operation area Ris an example of an area in which an operation is received. Theoperation area R is also referred to as “virtual pad”.

The operation area R is an example of an area provided in a mode visibleon the touch panel 11, in order to input an instruction regarding thegame.

The “area provided in a mode visible on the touch panel 11” may be avirtual direction key for upward, downward, rightward, and leftwarddirections displayed on the touch panel 11 or a virtual cross keydisplayed on the touch panel 11, for example.

The “direction key for upward, downward, rightward, and leftwarddirections” may have an up key for specifying an upward direction, adown key for specifying a downward direction, a right key for specifyinga rightward direction, and a left key for specifying a leftwarddirection. In this case, the up key, the down key, the right key, andthe left key may be in contact with each other, or may be arranged witha gap therebetween.

The operation area R may be a virtual area provided in a mode notvisible on the touch panel 11 for inputting an instruction regarding agame.

The operation area R is used to input an instruction regarding thedirection of the face B (hereinafter, “face direction instruction”) tothe touch panel 11. The face direction instruction is an example of aninstruction for the game.

An example of the face direction instruction is an upward instructionindicating an upward direction as the direction of the face B. Anotherexample of the face direction instruction may be a downward instructionindicating a downward direction, a rightward instruction indicating arightward direction, or a leftward instruction indicating a leftwarddirection. The direction indicated by the face direction instruction isan example of a direction regarding the game. When a face directioninstruction is input to the touch panel 11, the information processingapparatus 10 sets the direction of the face B to the direction indicatedby the face direction instruction. Input of the face directioninstruction is performed by, for example, a thumb of a user.

The information processing apparatus 10 determines whether a facedirection instruction has been input based on a pressure applied to thetouch panel 11.

For example, when the pressure applied to the touch panel 11 is equal toor greater than a first threshold, the information processing apparatus10 determines that a face direction instruction has been input. On theother hand, when the pressure applied to the touch panel 11 is less thanthe first threshold, the information processing apparatus 10 determinesthat a face direction instruction has not been input, even if a touch tothe operation area R is present. In the following descriptions, a statein which a face direction instruction has not been input is referred toas a “neutral state”.

The first threshold is a positive number. The first threshold is athreshold for determining the presence of input. For example, the firstthreshold may be a fixed value, a value changed by a user, or a valuechanged in accordance with a touch operation with respect to the touchpanel 11.

“To change the first threshold in accordance with a touch operation withrespect to the touch panel 11” means, as an example, that when aplurality of touches (hereinafter, “multiple touches”) are performedwith respect to the touch panel 11, the first threshold is set to begreater than that in a case in which multiple touches are not performed.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration ofthe information processing apparatus 10.

The information processing apparatus 10 includes a pressure detector 12,a vibrator 13, a controller 14, and a storage device 15 in addition tothe touch panel 11 described above.

The pressure detector 12 detects a pressure applied to the touch panel11. The pressure detector 12 outputs pressure information regarding thepressure applied to the touch panel 11. The pressure informationindicates the pressure applied to the touch panel 11.

When a user pushes the touch panel 11 with the user's thumb, the touchpanel 11 slightly bends as a whole. The pressure detector 12 detects thedegree of bending on the touch panel 11, to detect the pressure appliedto the touch panel 11. This enables the pressure detector 12 to detectthe pressure applied to the touch panel 11. The pressure detector 12 isalso referred to as a “sensor that outputs pressure information”.

The vibrator 13 vibrates the touch panel 11. The vibrator 13 is, forexample, a vibration motor that generates vibrations by rotation. Whenthe vibrator 13 vibrates, the entire information processing apparatus10, including the touch panel 11 vibrates.

The controller 14 is a processor such as a Central Processing Unit(CPU). The controller 14 integrally controls respective elements of theinformation processing apparatus 10.

The storage device 15 is an example of a recording medium that can beread by a computer such as a processor (for example, a computer-readablenon-transitory recording medium). The storage device 15 has storedtherein a program to be executed by the controller 14 (the applicationprogram of the game described above) and various types of data to beused by the controller 14. For example, the storage device 15 isconfigured by a well-known recording medium such as a magnetic recordingmedium or a semiconductor recording medium, or a combination of aplurality of types of recording media.

The controller 14 executes the program stored in the storage device 15,thereby functioning as a game controller 141, a setter 142, a displaycontroller 143, a touch position information acquirer 144, a pressureinformation acquirer 145, an input presence determiner 146, aninstruction determiner 147, and a vibration controller 148, asillustrated in FIG. 3. Some or all of the functions of the controller 14may be realized by dedicated electronic circuitry.

The game controller 141 controls the progress of the game. For example,when input of a face direction instruction is present, the gamecontroller 141 progresses the game in accordance with the face directioninstruction. In the neutral state, the game controller 141 sets thedirection of the face B to a direction associated beforehand with theneutral state (for example, the front direction as illustrated in FIG.1). The game controller 141 generates game image information indicativeof an image according to the progress status of the game.

The setter 142 sets an operation area R on the touch panel 11. In thefirst embodiment, the setter 142 fixes the operation area R to apredetermined position.

The operation area R has a reference point Q, an upward area R1, arightward area R2, a downward area R3, and a leftward area R4, asillustrated in FIG. 1.

The reference point Q is the reference of the position in the operationarea R. The reference point Q is set, for example, at a position of thecenter of gravity of the operation area R. The reference point Q may beset at a position different from the position of the center of gravityof the operation area R.

The upward area R1 is set to a position above the reference point Q onthe touch panel 11. The downward area R3 is set to a position below thereference point Q on the touch panel 11. The rightward area R2 is set toa position on the right of the reference point Q on the touch panel 11.The leftward area R4 is set to a position on the left of the referencepoint Q on the touch panel 11.

The upward area R1 is associated with an upward direction on the touchpanel 11. The rightward area R2, the downward area R3, and the leftwardarea R4 are associated with the rightward direction, the downwarddirection, and the leftward direction respectively on the touch panel11.

The display controller 143 displays an image in which an image of theoperation area R is superimposed on an image of the game according tothe game image information generated by the game controller 141(hereinafter, “superimposed image”) on the touch panel 11.

The touch position information acquirer 144 acquires touch positioninformation output from the touch panel 11.

The pressure information acquirer 145 acquires pressure informationoutput from the pressure detector 12.

The input presence determiner 146 determines whether input of a facedirection instruction is present, on the basis of the pressureinformation acquired by the pressure information acquirer 145. In thefollowing descriptions, the “pressure information” represents “pressureinformation acquired by the pressure information acquirer 145”, unlessotherwise described.

When a determination result by the input presence determiner 146 isaffirmative (when input of a face direction instruction is present), theinstruction determiner 147 determines a direction indicated by the facedirection instruction, on the basis of the touch position informationacquired by the touch position information acquirer 144. In thefollowing descriptions, the “touch position information” represents“touch position information acquired by the touch position informationacquirer 144”, unless otherwise described.

For example, the instruction determiner 147 determines a directionindicated by the face direction instruction, on the basis of apositional relationship between a touch position indicated by the touchposition information and the operation area R. In the followingdescriptions, the “touch position” represents a “touch positionindicated by the touch position information”, unless otherwisedescribed.

The game controller 141 controls the progress of the game on the basisof a determination result by the input presence determiner 146 and adetermination result by the instruction determiner 147.

The vibration controller 148 controls the vibrator 13. For example, whena determination result by the instruction determiner 147 changes, thevibration controller 148 vibrates the vibrator 13. The vibrationcontroller 148 may vibrate the vibrator 13, in a situation in which adetermination result by the input presence determiner 146 changes.

Next, an example of an operation of the information processing apparatus10 is described with reference to FIG. 4. The operation illustrated inFIG. 4 is started when a predetermined start operation is performed. Inthe descriptions with reference to FIG. 4, it is assumed that thedisplay controller 143 is displaying a superimposed image on the touchpanel 11.

When the touch position information acquirer 144 acquires touch positioninformation (Step S100) and the pressure information acquirer 145acquires pressure information (Step S102), the input presence determiner146 determines whether input of a face direction instruction to thetouch panel 11 is present, on the basis of the pressure information(Step S104). The order of S100 and S102 may be reversed.

At Step S104, when the pressure indicated by the pressure information isequal to or greater than a first threshold, the input presencedeterminer 146 determines that input of a face direction instruction ispresent.

On the other hand, when the pressure indicated by the pressureinformation is less than the first threshold, the input presencedeterminer 146 determines that no input of a face direction instructionis present. Furthermore, in the situation in which the pressureindicated by the pressure information is less than the first threshold,even if a touch to the touch panel 11 is present, the input presencedeterminer 146 determines that no input of a face direction instructionis present. In other words, “determining that no input of a facedirection instruction is present” means “determining that a state ofinput of an instruction to the touch panel 11 is a neutral state”.

When a determination result by the input presence determiner 146 isaffirmative (S104: YES), the instruction determiner 147 determines thecontents of the face direction instruction on the basis of the touchposition information (Step S106).

At Step S106, when the touch position belongs to any one of the upwardarea R1, the rightward area R2, the downward area R3, and the leftwardarea R4, the instruction determiner 147 determines that a directionassociated with the area to which the touch position belongs is thedirection indicated by the face direction instruction.

As an example, when the touch position belongs to the rightward area R2,the instruction determiner 147 determines that the direction indicatedby the face direction instruction is the rightward direction. The gamecontroller 141 reflects the direction indicated by the face directioninstruction to the progress of the game. For example, when the facedirection instruction indicates the rightward direction, the gamecontroller 141 sets the direction of the face B rightward. Furthermore,the instruction determiner 147 stores the current determination resultin the storage device 15, and deletes the determination result, which isdifferent from both the current determination result and the previousdetermination result, from the storage device 15.

Subsequently, when the current contents of the face directioninstruction has changed from the previous contents of the face directioninstruction (S108: YES), the vibration controller 148 triggers thevibrator 13 to vibrate the entire information processing apparatus 10,including the touch panel 11, for a first predetermined time (forexample, 0.1 seconds) (Step S110). The first predetermined time is notlimited to 0.1 seconds and can be appropriately changed.

A user can recognize the change of the face direction instruction byperceiving the vibration of the touch panel 11 via the digit. Thisenables the user to recognize the change of the face directioninstruction intuitively. Furthermore, the user can achieve anoperational sense close to the sense of operating a physical operationbutton, in terms of being able to recognize the instruction changethrough the digit.

On the other hand, when the determination result by the input presencedeterminer 146 is negative (S104: NO), the instruction determiner 147does not determine the contents of the face direction instruction, andthe vibration controller 148 does not trigger the vibrator 13.Furthermore, when the current contents of the face direction instructionhas not changed from the previous contents of the face directioninstruction (S108: NO), the vibration controller 148 does not triggerthe vibrator 13.

When the determination result by the input presence determiner 146 haschanged, the vibration controller 148 may trigger the vibrator 13. Inthis case, the user can intuitively recognize the change of input of theface direction instruction.

A specific example of an operation to determine whether input of aninstruction is present at Step S104 is described with reference to FIG.5 and FIG. 6.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a thumb F of a usertouches the operation area R with a pressure less than the firstthreshold.

In the state in which the thumb F of the user touches the operation areaR with a pressure less than the first threshold, the input presencedeterminer 146 determines that the state of input of an instruction tothe touch panel 11 is the neutral state. Therefore, the user can realizethe neutral state, without releasing the thumb F from the touch panel11, by setting the pressure applied to the touch panel 11 to be lessthan the first threshold. This avoids input of an unintended facedirection instruction with respect to the touch panel 11, regardless ofthe touch position on the touch panel 11.

In FIG. 5, as a touch position P1 of the thumb F on the touch panel 11,a position of the center of gravity of a touch area on the touch panel11 with which the thumb F comes in contact is used. However, the touchposition P1 is not limited to the position of the center of gravity ofthe touch area, and can be appropriately changed. For example, the touchposition P1 may be a position in the touch area, different from theposition of the center of gravity of the touch area.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the thumb F is tiltedso that the thumb F is located more on the right side than the stateillustrated in FIG. 5 on the touch panel 11.

As an example of a state in which the thumb F is tilted as illustratedin FIG. 6, such a state is assumed in which a user tilts the thumb Fwhile pressing the thumb F to the touch panel 11, and thereafter,presses the thumb F on the touch panel 11 in order to maintain the tiltof the thumb F. As illustrated in FIG. 6, in a state in which the userpresses the thumb F on the touch panel 11, it is assumed that thepressure applied to the touch panel 11 increases to be more than in thestate illustrated in FIG. 5.

When the contact state between the thumb F and the touch panel 11becomes the state illustrated in FIG. 6 and the pressure applied to thetouch panel 11 increases to be equal to or greater than the firstthreshold, the input presence determiner 146 determines that input of aface direction instruction is present.

When the input presence determiner 146 has determined that input of aface direction instruction is present, the instruction determiner 147determines the contents of the face direction instruction on the basisof the touch position. In the state illustrated in FIG. 6, a touchposition P2 belongs to the rightward area R2. Therefore, the instructiondeterminer 147 determines that the direction indicated by the facedirection instruction is the rightward direction.

When the user intends to return the state of the thumb F from the stateillustrated in FIG. 6 to the state illustrated in FIG. 5, it is assumedthat the pressure applied to the touch panel 11 from the thumb F inorder to tilt the thumb F decreases. When the pressure applied to thetouch panel 11 from the thumb F in order to tilt the thumb F decreasesto be less than the first threshold, the state becomes the neutral stateagain.

According to the first embodiment, the input presence determiner 146determines that input of a face direction instruction is present whenthe pressure indicated by the pressure information is equal to orgreater than the first threshold.

By setting the pressure applied to the touch panel 11 to be less thanthe first threshold, the user can prevent input of an unintendedinstruction to the touch panel 11, even if the user is touching thetouch panel 11.

Therefore, in a case in which the user does not intend to input aninstruction to the touch panel 11, the user does not need to move thetouch position to the neutral area on the touch panel 11, therebyenabling reduction in erroneous input based on a difference between thetouch position and the neutral area.

Furthermore, the user can realize a state in which an instruction is notinput to the touch panel 11, without performing a motion requiring loadsuch as releasing the thumb F from the touch panel 11.

The neutral area is not required. Therefore, movement of a digit such asa slide of the digit in order to move the touch position to the neutralarea is not required. Furthermore, the user can realize the neutralstate by movement of a digit such as tilting the thumb F, that is, bythe movement of a digit that has a smaller displacement than sliding thedigit, thereby improving the operability.

In the first embodiment, for example, configurations exemplified belowmay be employed.

Modification A1

In the first embodiment, the operation area R may be set at a positionbased on a touch position on the touch panel 11.

A hardware configuration of the information processing apparatus 10 in amodification A1 is substantially the same as that of the informationprocessing apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment illustrated inFIG. 1 and FIG. 2. In other words, the information processing apparatus10 in the modification A1 includes the touch panel 11, the pressuredetector 12, the vibrator 13, the controller 14, and the storage device15.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of theinformation processing apparatus 10 according to the modification A1.The controller 14 according to the modification A1 executes the programstored in the storage device 15, thereby functioning as the gamecontroller 141, the setter 142, the display controller 143, the touchposition information acquirer 144, the pressure information acquirer145, the input presence determiner 146, the instruction determiner 147,the vibration controller 148, and a detector 149. Also in themodification A1, some or all of the functions of the controller 14 maybe realized by dedicated electronic circuitry as in the firstembodiment.

The modification A1 is different from the first embodiment in that themodification A1 includes the detector 149 and that the function of thesetter 142 is changed. The modification A1 is described below mainly forthe points different from the first embodiment.

The detector 149 detects a change in state from a first state in whichno touch to the touch panel 11 is present to a second state in which atouch to the touch panel 11 is present (hereinafter, “touch-in”) on thebasis of the touch position information. For example, when the state isswitched from a state in which input of touch position information ispresent (first state) to a state in which the touch position informationindicates the second state, the detector 149 detects the touch-in.

The detector 149 may detect the touch-in on the basis of pressureinformation. For example, when the pressure indicated by the pressureinformation is switched from a third state in which the pressureindicated by the pressure information is less than a second threshold toa fourth state in which the pressure indicated by the pressureinformation is equal to or greater than the second threshold, thedetector 149 detects the touch-in. The second threshold is a value lessthan the first threshold.

Furthermore, the detector 149 may detect a change in state from thesecond state to the first state (hereinafter, “touch-off”) on the basisof the touch position information. For example, when the state isswitched from a state in which the touch position information indicatesthe second state to a state in which no input of the touch positioninformation is present, the detector 149 detects the touch-off.

The detector 149 may detect the touch-off on the basis of the pressureinformation. For example, when switching a state from the fourth stateto the third state occurs, the detector 149 detects the touch-off.

The setter 142 sets the position of the operation area R at a positionbased on the touch position on the touch panel 11. The setter 142 setsthe operation area R so that a specific portion of the operation area Ris located, for example, at the touch position. The “specific portion ofthe operation area R” is, for example, a portion at which the center ofgravity of the operation area R is present. The “specific portion of theoperation area R” is not limited to the portion at which the center ofgravity of the operation area R is present and can be appropriatelychanged. For example, the “specific portion of the operation area R” maybe an end of the operation area R (a right end, a left end, an upperend, or a lower end).

The setter 142 may set the operation area R at a position away from thetouch position by a certain distance, or when the touch position moves,may reset the operation area R to a moving destination of the touchposition.

“To set the operation area R” may refer to changing a state in which theoperation area R is not set to a state in which the operation area R isset, or resetting the operation area R so that the operation area Ralready being set is moved.

For example, when the detector 149 detects a touch-in, the setter 142sets the position of the operation area R to a position based on thetouch position on the touch panel 11.

When the detector 149 detects a touch-off, the setter 142 may delete theoperation area R from the touch panel 11 by releasing setting of theoperation area R on the touch panel 11, or may maintain the setting ofthe operation area R. In the following descriptions, the setter 142releases the setting of the operation area R on the touch panel 11 whenthe detector 149 detects the touch-off.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a state at an instant when a touch-inby a thumb F has newly occurred, in a state in which the operation areaR is deleted from the touch panel 11 in response to the touch-off.

When the detector 149 detects the touch-in, the setter 142 sets theoperation area R on the touch panel 11, so that the reference point Q ofthe operation area R is located at a touch position P3, for example, asillustrated in FIG. 9.

According to the modification A1, for example, the operation area R isset based on the touched-in position. This enables matching thepositions, for example, of the thumb F and the operation area R witheach other, without the user being aware of the position of theoperation area R at the time of touch-in. Furthermore, since theposition of the operation area R is reset every time a touch-in occurs,the operation area R formerly set becomes substantially invalid at thetime of touch-off.

When a touch-in occurs in a state in which the pressure indicated by thepressure information is less than the first threshold, the setter 142may set the operation area R based on the touched-in position. Forexample, when a touch-in occurs in the state in which the pressureindicated by the pressure information is less than the first threshold,the setter 142 sets the operation area R so that the reference point Qis located at the touched-in position.

When a touch-in occurs in a state in which the pressure indicated by thepressure information is less than the first threshold, the state isassumed to be a state in which a backside portion of a thumbnail of thepad of the thumb F is not tilted with respect to the touch panel 11(hereinafter, “reference state”). When the position of the operationarea R is set on the touch panel 11 based on the touch position in thisstate, for example, when the position of the operation area R is set sothat the reference point Q is located at the touch position, probabilityof occurrence of a difference in position between the thumb and theoperation area R can be decreased as compared to a case in which theoperation area R is fixed.

When a determination result by the input presence determiner 146 isnegative, the setter 142 may set the operation area R at a positionbased on the touch position on the touch panel 11, regardless of thepresence of a touch-in.

As an example, as illustrated in FIG. 10, when the touch position P3 isaway from the reference point Q (in FIG. 10, a reference point Qindicated by a dotted circle) in a neutral state, the setter 142 resetsthe reference point Q to the touch position P3 to shift the operationarea R on the basis of the touch position P3. The state illustrated inFIG. 10 occurs when the touch position P3 deviates from the referencepoint Q in a situation in which touch to the touch panel 11 is continuedin the neutral state, for example.

In this manner, when a touch position deviates from the reference pointQ in the neutral state, the position of the operation area R can bemoved in accordance with the touch position, thereby enabling preventionof erroneous input based on misalignment of the touch position withrespect to the operation area R.

The position at which the operation area R is reset is not limited tothe position at which the reference point Q becomes the touch position,and can be appropriately changed.

The operation of the setter 142 when the determination result by theinput presence determiner 146 is affirmative is not limited.

When the determination result by the input presence determiner 146 isaffirmative, for example, the setter 142 may set the operation area R ata position based on the touch position. When the touch position ismoved, the setter 142 may reset the operation area R at a movingdestination of the touch position. The setter 142 may not reset theoperation area R even if the touch position moves. The setter 142 mayreset the operation area R on the basis of both the touch position andthe pressure applied to the touch panel 11.

Modification A2

In the first embodiment and the modification A1, the setter 142 may setthe position of the operation area R on the touch panel 11 on the basisof both the touch position information and the pressure information.

For example, when the determination result by the input presencedeterminer 146 is affirmative, the setter 142 sets the operation area Ron the touch panel 11, on the basis of both the touch position indicatedby the touch position information and the pressure information.

As an example, the setter 142 decides the distance between the touchposition and the operation area R on the basis of the magnitude of thepressure indicated by the pressure information, and decides thedirection of the operation area R as seen from the touch position on thebasis of the touch position.

As a more specific example, for example, when the determination resultby the input presence determiner 146 is affirmative, the setter 142 mayset the operation area R at an end point of a vector. The vector has adirection corresponding to the touch position and a length correspondingto the magnitude of the pressure indicated by the pressure information,and starts from the touch position.

The direction of the vector corresponding to the touch position is adirection opposite to a direction associated with an area to which thetouch position belongs, from among the upward area R1, the rightwardarea R2, the downward area R3, and the leftward area R4. For example,when the touch position belongs to the rightward area R2, the directionof the vector is “leftward”. When the touch position belongs to theleftward area R4, the direction of the vector is “rightward”. When thetouch position belongs to the upward area R1, the direction of thevector is “downward”. When the touch position belongs to the downwardarea R3, the direction of the vector is “upward”.

With regard to the length of the vector corresponding to the magnitudeof the pressure, for example, as the pressure indicated by the pressureinformation (touch pressure) becomes greater, the length of the vectorbecomes longer. As an example, when the pressure indicated by thepressure information is less than the first threshold, the length of thevector is “0”. When the pressure indicated by the pressure informationis equal to or greater than the first threshold, the length of thevector is set to be longer, as the pressure increases.

FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 are explanatory diagrams of a modification A2. InFIG. 11 and FIG. 12, although the position of the operation area R andthe touch position on the touch panel 11 are the same, the pressureapplied to the touch panel 11 is different. Specifically, the pressureapplied to the touch panel 11 in FIG. 11 is less than that in FIG. 12.

In the modification A2, the setter 142 regards the tilt (rotation) ofthe thumb F with respect to the thumb F in the reference state toincrease as the pressure applied to the touch panel 11 increases.Therefore, the setter 142 sets the length of a vector V1 illustrated inFIG. 11 to be shorter than the length of a vector V2 illustrated in FIG.12. Here, the vector V1 starts from a touch position P4, which belongsto the rightward area R2, and has a leftward direction. The vector V2starts from a touch position P5, which belongs to the rightward area R2,and has a leftward direction.

The operation of the setter 142 in the modification A2 when a touchoccurs that causes the determination result by the input presencedeterminer 146 to be negative (hereinafter, “weak touch”), is notlimited.

For example, when a weak touch occurs, the setter 142 in themodification A2 may set the reference point Q at a position based on thetouch position. When the touch position moves, the setter 142 may resetthe reference point Q at a moving destination of the touch position. Thesetter 142 may not reset the position of the operation area R even ifthe touch position moves. The setter 142 may reset the position of theoperation area R on the basis of both the touch position and thepressure, as in the case in which the determination result by the inputpresence determiner 146 is affirmative.

Furthermore, the setter 142 in the modification A2 may reset theposition of the operation area R on the basis of both the touch positionand the pressure, regardless of the determination result by the inputpresence determiner 146.

According to the modification A2, the distance between the operationarea R and the touch position is adjusted in accordance with thepressure applied to the touch panel 11. Therefore, a difference betweenthe position of the operation area R recognized by a user and the actualposition of the operation area R can be decreased, as compared to aconfiguration in which the distance between the operation area R and thetouch position is not adjusted in accordance with the pressure appliedto the touch panel 11.

Modification A3

In the first embodiment, the modification A1, and the modification A2,the upward area R1, the rightward area R2, the downward area R3, and theleftward area R4 may be omitted, and the instruction determiner 147 maydetermine the direction from the reference point Q toward the touchposition as the direction indicated by a face direction instruction.

According to a modification A3, four or more directions can be input.Therefore, operation flexibility is improved as compared to theconfiguration having the upward area R1, the rightward area R2, thedownward area R3, and the leftward area R4.

Modification A4

In the first embodiment and the modifications A1 to A3, the operationarea R may be omitted and the instruction determiner 147 may determinethe direction indicated by a face direction instruction on the basis ofa change of the touch position.

The “change of the touch position” may be a change of the touch positionwithin a period including a time point when the input presencedeterminer 146 has determined that input is present. The “change of thetouch position” may be a change of the touch position within a periodnot including the time point when the input presence determiner 146 hasdetermined that input is present (for example, a period started within asecond predetermined time (for example, 0.1 second) from the time pointwhen determining that input is present). The second predetermined timeis not limited to 0.1 seconds, and can be appropriately changed.

The “period including a time point when the input presence determiner146 has determined that input is present” may be a period ending at thetime point when the input presence determiner 146 has determined thatinput is present, for example. The “period including a time point whenthe input presence determiner 146 has determined that input is present”may be a period starting from the time point when the input presencedeterminer 146 has determined that input is present. The “periodincluding a time point when the input presence determiner 146 hasdetermined that input is present” may be a period started before thetime point when the input presence determiner 146 has determined thatinput is present and ending after the time point when the input presencedeterminer 146 has determined that input is present.

The instruction determiner 147 may determine the change direction of thetouch position within the period including the time point when the inputpresence determiner 146 has determined that input is present, as thedirection indicated by a face direction instruction. The instructiondeterminer 147 may determine the direction obtained by rotating thechange direction of the touch position within the period including thetime point when the input presence determiner 146 has determined thatinput is present by a predetermined angle, as the direction indicated bya face direction instruction.

In the following descriptions, it is assumed that the instructiondeterminer 147 determines the direction indicated by a face directioninstruction, on the basis of the direction of a change of the touchposition within a period including the time point when the inputpresence determiner 146 has determined that input of a face directioninstruction is present.

The time point when the input presence determiner 146 has determinedthat input of a face direction instruction is present can be consideredto be a time point when input of a face direction instruction isperformed. Therefore, the direction indicated by the face directioninstruction is determined in accordance with the touch positioninformation at that point in time.

For example, a motion of tilting a thumb F (hereinafter, “tiltingmotion”) so that the thumb F changes the state from the stateillustrated in FIG. 5 to the state illustrated in FIG. 6 is assumed.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of movement of a touchposition and a transition of a pressure applied to the touch panel 11during a period in which a tilting motion is performed. In FIG. 13, theposition of each portion forming an arrow E represents movement of atouch position, and the density of the arrow E at the position of eachportion forming the arrow E represents a magnitude of a pressure of eachposition.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 13, the touch position moves fromleft to right, with increase of the tilt of the thumb F. Furthermore,the pressure applied to the touch panel 11 increases, with an increaseof the tilt of the thumb F.

At a point in time when the pressure applied to the touch panel 11becomes equal to or greater than the first threshold, the instructiondeterminer 147 determines the direction in which the touch position hasmoved until the time (a direction indicated by an arrow E1 in FIG. 13)as the direction indicated by a face direction instruction on the basisof the touch position information.

In the following descriptions, a process of determining the direction inwhich the touch position has moved until the pressure applied to thetouch panel 11 becomes equal to or greater than the first threshold, asthe direction indicated by a face direction instruction, is referred toas “first direction determination process”.

When the pressure applied to the touch panel 11 becomes equal to orgreater than the first threshold, the instruction determiner 147 maydetermine the direction of movement of the touch position thereinafter(a direction indicated by an arrow E2 in FIG. 13), as the directionindicated by the face direction instruction, on the basis of the touchposition information.

In the following descriptions, a process of determining the direction ofmovement of the touch position after the pressure applied to the touchpanel 11 becomes equal to or greater than the first threshold, as thedirection indicated by a face direction instruction, is referred to as“second direction determination process”.

In the first direction determination process, the instruction determiner147 determines, for example, the direction of a first vector as thedirection indicated by a face direction instruction. The first vectorends at a touch position P6 at a first time point when the pressureapplied to the touch panel 11 becomes equal to or greater than the firstthreshold. The first vector starts from a touch position P7 at a secondtime point before the first time point by a first time (for example, 50milliseconds). The first time is not limited to 50 milliseconds, and canbe appropriately changed.

In the first direction determination process, the instruction determiner147 can start determination of the direction indicated by a facedirection instruction at the first time point. At the time of performingthe first direction determination process, the instruction determiner147 needs to store in the storage device 15 the touch positioninformation of from at least first time before the present time, forexample.

In the second direction determination process, the instructiondeterminer 147 determines the direction of a second vector, for example,as the direction indicated by a face direction instruction. The secondvector starts from the touch position P6 at the first time point andends at a touch position P8 at a third time point after the first timepoint just by a second time (for example, 50 milliseconds). The secondtime is not limited to 50 milliseconds and can be appropriately changed.The second time may be the same as the first time or may be differenttherefrom.

In the second direction determination process, it is not required tostore the touch position information of from at least a first timebefore the present time point in the storage device 15, as in the firstdirection determination process. When the second direction determinationprocess is to be performed, determination of the direction indicated bya face direction instruction is started at the third time point.Therefore, delay in the determination occurs as compared to the firstdirection determination process in which the determination is started atthe first time point.

The instruction determiner 147 may determine the direction of a combinedvector combining the first vector and the second vector (for example, avector starting from the touch position P7 and ending at the touchposition P8) as the direction indicated by a face direction instruction.

The instruction determiner 147 may use, as a start point of the firstvector, a touch position, which has a first distance (for example, 3millimeters) from the touch position P6, among touch positions generatedtemporally before the touch position P6, instead of the touch positionP7 at the second time point. The first distance is not limited to 3millimeters, and can be appropriately changed.

The instruction determiner 147 may use, as an end point of the secondvector, a touch position, which has a second distance (for example, 3millimeters) from the touch position P6, among touch positions generatedtemporally after the touch position P6, instead of the touch position P8at the third time point. The second distance is not limited to 3millimeters, and can be appropriately changed. The second distance maybe the same as the first distance, or may be different therefrom.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of the touch positions P6to P8, in a case in which the first distance and the second distance areeach set to 3 millimeters.

According to a modification A4, the instruction determiner 147determines the direction indicated by a face direction instruction onthe basis of a change of the touch position in a period including a timepoint at which the pressure applied to the touch panel 11 becomes thefirst threshold. This allows a user to input a face directioninstruction on the touch panel 11 without being aware of the operationarea R. Furthermore, the operation area R can be omitted. Therefore, agame image can be easily viewed on the touch panel 11.

In the modification A4, when a user inputs a plurality of face directioninstructions on the touch panel 11, a neutral state is generated everytime a face direction instruction is input on the touch panel 11.

Modification A5

In the first embodiment and the modifications A1 to A4, the setter 142may set a face direction instruction input area for inputting a facedirection instruction (an area in which an operation area R is set) andan offensive-defensive motion input area for inputting an instruction ofan attack or defense motion of a character C (hereinafter, “offensive ordefensive motion instruction”) on the touch panel 11.

The offensive or defensive motion instruction is an example of a firstinstruction regarding a game. As an example of the offensive ordefensive motion instruction, an attack instruction to cause thecharacter C to swing a sword (not shown), and a guard instruction tocause the character C to take a guard (defensive) posture can be cited.

The offensive-defensive motion input area is an example of a first areafor inputting the first instruction regarding the game. The facedirection instruction is an example of a second instruction regardingthe game in a modification A5. The face direction instruction input areais an example of a second area for inputting the second instructionregarding the game.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of the informationprocessing apparatus 10 including the touch panel 11 in which a facedirection instruction input area Ra and an offensive-defensive motioninput area Rb are set.

An operation area R is set in the face direction instruction input areaRa. An attack button Rb1 and a guard button Rb2 are set in theoffensive-defensive motion input area Rb. The attack button Rb1 is usedto input an attack instruction to the touch panel 11. The guard buttonRb2 is used to input a guard instruction to the touch panel 11.

The attack button Rb1 and the guard button Rb2 may not be set in theoffensive-defensive motion input area Rb. In this case, for example, atap to the offensive-defensive motion input area Rb may be used as theattack instruction, and a touch to the offensive-defensive motion inputarea Rb, which continues for more than a third time (for example, 1second), may be used as the guard instruction. The third time is notlimited to 1 second, and can be appropriately changed.

As described above, the pressure detector 12 detects a pressure appliedto the touch panel 11.

When there are taps simultaneously to the face direction instructioninput area Ra and the offensive-defensive motion input area Rb(hereinafter, “multi-taps”), it is not clear in which area of the facedirection instruction input area Ra and the offensive-defensive motioninput area Rb the pressure detected by the pressure detector 12 isgenerated.

Therefore, when the pressure applied to the touch panel 11 becomes equalto or greater than the first threshold in a state in which multi-tapsoccur, an error is likely to occur in the determination of whether inputof a face direction instruction is present.

To reduce error, such a mode may be adopted in which the game is notaffected by a touch to the face direction instruction input area Ra whena touch to the offensive-defensive motion input area Rb is present.

For example, when a touch to the offensive-defensive motion input areaRb is present, the input presence determiner 146 and the instructiondeterminer 147 may each stop determination or prevent output of adetermination result in a situation in which the touch is continued.

As another example, when a touch to the offensive-defensive motion inputarea Rb is present, even if the input presence determiner 146 and theinstruction determiner 147 perform determination, the game controller141 may abandon these determination results so as not to reflect thedetermination results to the game in a situation in which the touch iscontinued.

According to the modification A5, erroneous determination of a facedirection instruction due to input of an offensive or defensive motioninstruction can be reduced.

In the modification A5, for example, in response to the end of the touchto the offensive-defensive motion input area Rb, determination ofwhether input of a face direction instruction is present is resumed. Inresponse to the end of the touch to the offensive-defensive motion inputarea Rb, determination of the direction indicated by a face directioninstruction in the case in which input of a face direction instructionis present is resumed. In response to the end of the touch to theoffensive-defensive motion input area Rb, it is stopped that the gamecontroller 141 abandons the determination results by the input presencedeterminer 146 and the instruction determiner 147.

In the modification A5, the direction of the face B cannot be changedsimultaneously with the offensive and defensive motion. However, forexample, when the offensive or defensive motion instruction is aninstruction to be completed within a short time (for example, 0.1second) such as a tap, the time while the direction of the face B cannotbe changed is a short period. Therefore, an effect of enabling reductionof erroneous determination of a face direction instruction exceeds theinconvenience such that the direction of the face B cannot be changedsimultaneously with the offensive and defensive motion.

To reduce the inconvenience described above, only for a specific time(for example, 1 second) since start of a touch to theoffensive-defensive motion input area Rb, the input presence determiner146 and the instruction determiner 147 may each stop determination orprevent the change of a determination result, or even if the inputpresence determiner 146 and the instruction determiner 147 performdetermination, the game controller 141 may abandon these determinationresults.

For example, the modification A5 may be realized by using an inputpresence determiner 146A illustrated in FIG. 16 as the input presencedeterminer 146 in the first embodiment, the modification A1, themodification A2, the modification A3, and the modification A4.

In FIG. 16, the input presence determiner 146A includes a first inputpresence determiner 146A1 and a second input presence determiner 146A2.

The first input presence determiner 146A1 determines whether input of anoffensive or defensive motion instruction is present, on the basis ofthe touch position information. The first input presence determiner146A1 is an example of a first determiner.

For example, when the touch position indicated by the touch positioninformation is located on either the attack button Rb1 or the guardbutton Rb2, the first input presence determiner 146A1 determines thatinput of an offensive or defensive motion instruction is present.

On the other hand, when the touch position indicated by the touchposition information is not located on either the attack button Rb1 orthe guard button Rb2, the first input presence determiner 146A1determines that no input of an offensive or defensive motion instructionis present.

In a state in which the touch position information indicates at leastthat a touch with respect to the face direction instruction input areaRa is present, when a determination result by the first input presencedeterminer 146A1 based on the touch position information (hereinafter,“first touch position information”) is negative, the second inputpresence determiner 146A2 operates as described below.

That is, the second input presence determiner 146A2 determines whetherinput of a face direction instruction is present, on the basis of thepressure information (hereinafter, “first pressure information”)acquired by the pressure information acquirer 145 at a time when thetouch position information acquirer 144 acquires the first touchposition information (the touch position information indicating at leastthat a touch with respect to the face direction instruction input areaRa is present).

For example, when the pressure indicated by the first pressureinformation is equal to or greater than the first threshold, the secondinput presence determiner 146A2 determines that input of a facedirection instruction is present. The second input presence determiner146A2 is an example of a second determiner.

When the second input presence determiner 146A2 has determined thatinput of a face direction instruction is present, the instructiondeterminer 147 determines the direction indicated by the face directioninstruction, by using the first touch position information (the touchposition information indicating at least that a touch with respect tothe face direction instruction input area Ra is present) as the touchposition information.

When a determination result by the first input presence determiner 146A1based on the first touch position information is affirmative, that is,when multiple touches are occurring, the instruction determiner 147maintains the determination result so that the determination result ofthe direction indicated by the face direction instruction does notchange. Therefore, the game executed by the game controller 141 is notaffected by the determination result by the instruction determiner 147,during a period in which the determination result by the first inputpresence determiner 146A1 based on the first touch position informationis affirmative, that is, during a period in which multiple touches areoccurring.

When the determination result by the first input presence determiner146A1 based on the first touch position information is affirmative, thatis, when multiple touches are occurring, the instruction determiner 147may stop determination of the direction indicated by the face directioninstruction, or it may not output a determination result even afterperforming the determination, or the game controller 141 may abandon thedetermination result by the instruction determiner 147.

On the other hand, when the pressure indicated by the first pressureinformation is less than the first threshold, the second input presencedeterminer 146A2 determines that no input of a face directioninstruction is present.

When the determination result by the first input presence determiner146A1 based on the first touch position information is affirmative, thatis, when multiple touches are occurring, the second input presencedeterminer 146A2 maintains the determination result, for example, sothat the determination result of whether input of a face directioninstruction is present does not change. Therefore, the game executed bythe game controller 141 is not progressed in accordance with a change ofthe determination result by the second input presence determiner 146A2,during a period in which the determination result by the first inputpresence determiner 146A1 based on the first touch position informationis affirmative, that is, during a period in which multiple touches areoccurring.

Modification A6

In the modification A5, such a case is assumed in which input of anoffensive or defensive motion instruction is completed within a shorttime by input such as by a tap.

However, it is assumed that, for example, input of a guard instructionthat is input of offensive or defensive motion instructions, isperformed continuously while a user waits and sees how a character of anopponent works, that is, for a relatively long time.

Therefore, in a modification A6, when input of the offensive ordefensive motion instruction continues for more than a fourth time (forexample, 1 second) in the modification A5, the second input presencedeterminer 146A2 adjusts the first threshold on the basis of thepressure applied to the touch panel 11 when the input of the offensiveor defensive motion instruction continues for the fourth time. Thefourth time is not limited to 1 second, and can be appropriatelychanged.

After the first threshold has been adjusted, when the following state(state 1) occurs, the second input presence determiner 146A2 determinesthat input of a face direction instruction is present.

State 1: a case in which the pressure applied to the touch panel 11becomes equal to or greater than the first threshold after beingadjusted, in a state in which the touch position information acquired bythe touch position information acquirer 144 is the first touch positioninformation (touch position information indicating at least that a touchwith respect to the face direction instruction input area Ra ispresent).

When any one of the following two states (state 2 and state 3) occurs,the second input presence determiner 146A2 may determine that input of aface direction instruction is present.

State 2: a case in which a new touch to the face direction instructioninput area Ra is present.

State 3: a case in which a touch position in the face directioninstruction input area Ra has moved by a predetermined distance or more.

According to the modification A6, even if input of an offensive ordefensive motion instruction continues for more than the fourth time,input of a face direction instruction can be received.

When the input of the offensive or defensive motion instruction ends,the second input presence determiner 146A2 returns the first thresholdafter adjustment to the first threshold before adjustment.

A function added to the second input presence determiner 146A2 in themodification A6 is described here.

The second input presence determiner 146A2 determines whether input of aface direction instruction is present, on the basis of both the firstpressure information and a determination result by the first inputpresence determiner 146A1 based on the first touch position information(touch position information indicating at least that a touch withrespect to the face direction instruction input area Ra is present).

For example, when the duration of the input of an offensive or defensivemotion instruction is less than that of the fourth time, the secondinput presence determiner 146A2 performs the operation in themodification A5.

When the duration of the input of the offensive or defensive motioninstruction reaches the fourth time, the second input presencedeterminer 146A2 adjusts the first threshold on the basis of thepressure information at a time point when the input of the offensive ordefensive motion instruction has continued for the fourth time. Then, inthe state in which the touch position information acquired by the touchposition information acquirer 144 is the first touch positioninformation (touch position information indicating at least that a touchwith respect to the face direction instruction input area Ra ispresent), the second input presence determiner 146A2 determines whetherinput of a face direction instruction is present, on the basis of amagnitude relationship between the first threshold after adjustment andthe pressure indicated by the pressure information acquiredthereinafter.

Here, the first threshold after adjustment is greater than the firstthreshold before adjustment. For example, the first threshold afteradjustment is greater than the first threshold before adjustment by themagnitude of the pressure indicated by the pressure information when thedetermination result by the first input presence determiner 146A1 isaffirmative. The difference between the first threshold after adjustmentand the first threshold before adjustment is not limited to themagnitude of the pressure indicated by the pressure information when thedetermination result by the first input presence determiner 146A1 isaffirmative, and can be appropriately changed. For example, thedifference between the first threshold after adjustment and the firstthreshold before adjustment may be an average value of the pressureindicated by the pressure information in a period of the fourth time.

For example, in a state in which the duration of the input of theoffensive or defensive motion instruction is equal to or greater thanthat of the fourth time, and in the state in which the determinationresult by the first input presence determiner 146A1 based on the firsttouch position information (touch position information indicating atleast that a touch with respect to the face direction instruction inputarea Ra is present) is affirmative (hereinafter, “first state”), thesecond input presence determiner 146A2 operates as described below.

That is, the second input presence determiner 146A2 determines thatinput of a face direction instruction is present (hereinafter, “firstdetermination”) when the pressure indicated by the pressure informationacquired after adjustment of the first threshold is equal to or greaterthan the first threshold after adjustment (a first reference value). Onthe other hand, when the pressure indicated by the pressure informationacquired after adjustment of the first threshold is less than the firstthreshold after adjustment, the second input presence determiner 146A2determines that no input of a face direction instruction is present.

When input of an offensive or defensive motion instruction is present,the second input presence determiner 146A2 may perform the firstdetermination, even if the duration of the input of the offensive ordefensive motion instruction is less than the fourth time.

In this case, even if input of the offensive or defensive motioninstruction is present, input of a face direction instruction can bereceived.

In the modification A6 also, when it is determined that input of a facedirection instruction to the touch panel 11 is present, the instructiondeterminer 147 determines the direction indicated by the face directioninstruction, by using the first touch position information (touchposition information indicating at least that a touch with respect tothe face direction instruction input area Ra is present) as the touchposition information.

In the modification A5 and the modification A6, the game progressed bythe game controller 141 is not affected by the face directioninstruction, in other words, by the touch with respect to the facedirection instruction input area Ra, during a period in which it isdetermined that input of an offensive or defensive motion instruction ispresent based on the first touch position information, that is, during aperiod in which multiple touches are occurring. This makes it lesslikely for the game to be affected by erroneous input of a facedirection instruction.

Modification A7

In the first embodiment and the modifications A1 to A6, the inputpresence determiner 146 may determine whether input of a face directioninstruction is present, on the basis of the speed of a change in thepressure indicated by the pressure information. For example, when thespeed of a change in the pressure indicated by the pressure informationis equal to or greater than a first speed reference value, the inputpresence determiner 146 determines that input of a face directioninstruction is present.

As illustrated in FIG. 17, a state in which the speed of a change inpressure with respect to the touch panel 11 (ΔF/At) becomes greater thana certain value is assumed to be a state in which a user is inputtingsome kind of instruction to the touch panel 11. Therefore, it can bedetermined whether input of a face direction instruction is present, onthe basis of the speed of a change in the pressure indicated by thepressure information.

According to the configuration in which it is determined whether inputof a face direction instruction is present on the basis of the speed ofa change in the pressure indicated by the pressure information,erroneous determination due to individual differences in magnitude ofthe pressure applied to the touch panel 11 at the time of a touch to thetouch panel 11 can be reduced, as compared to a configuration in whichit is determined whether input of a face direction instruction ispresent, on the basis of the magnitude of the pressure indicated by thepressure information.

When a rise rate of the speed of a change in the pressure indicated bythe pressure information is equal to or greater than a second speedreference value, the input presence determiner 146 may determine thatinput of a face direction instruction is present.

For example, the “first speed reference value” and the “second speedreference value” may each be a specific value, a value changed by auser, or a value to be changed in accordance with a touch operation tothe touch panel 11.

Modification A8

In the first embodiment, the modifications A1 to A3, and themodifications A5 to A7, when the operation area R is set, a coordinatesystem defining directions of up and down, and right and left(hereinafter, “screen coordinate system”), and a coordinate system fixedin the operation area R (hereinafter, “operation coordinate system”) maybe set on the touch panel 11.

The screen coordinate system is a coordinate system indicated by anX-axis and a Y-axis illustrated in FIG. 1.

The operation coordinate system is a coordinate system having an originat the reference point Q in the operation area R and having an Xs-axisand a Ys-axis orthogonal to each other as illustrated in FIG. 18.

In the first embodiment and the like, the up and down and right and leftdirections of the operation area R match the up and down and right andleft directions of the screen coordinate system. However, as illustratedin FIG. 18, the up and down and right and left directions of theoperation area R may be tilted with respect to the up and down and rightand left directions of the screen coordinate system.

The Xs-axis and the Ys-axis are axis lines parallel to the touch panel11. The Xs-axis corresponds to the right and left direction of theoperation area R, and the Ys-axis corresponds to the up and downdirection of the operation area R. In other words, the Xs-axiscorresponds to the lateral direction of the operation area R, and theYs-axis corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the operation areaR.

In this case, the direction indicated by a face direction instruction isa direction defined by the screen coordinate system (X-axis and Y-axis).The mutual positional relationship among the reference point Q in theoperation area R, the upward area R1, the rightward area R2, thedownward area R3, and the leftward area R4 is specified by a directionindicated by the operation coordinate system (Xs-axis and Ys-axis).Furthermore, the direction of a vector corresponding to the touchposition in the modification A2 becomes the direction defined by theoperation coordinate system.

As described above, in the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the directionof the X-axis in the screen coordinate system matches the direction ofthe Xs-axis of the operation coordinate system, and the direction of theY-axis in the screen coordinate system matches the direction of theYs-axis of the operation coordinate system.

Meanwhile, as an example in which directions of respective coordinateaxes (X-axis and Y-axis) in the screen coordinate system do not matchthe directions of respective coordinate axes (Xs-axis and Ys-axis) inthe operation coordinate system, there is a configuration in which theoperation coordinate system is preset so that a lengthwise direction ofa thumb F in the reference state of a user illustrated in FIG. 5 matchesthe Ys-axis of the operation coordinate system.

Modification A9

In the first embodiment, the modifications A1 to A3, and themodifications A5 to A8, the vibration controller 148 may vibrate thevibrator 13 only for the first predetermined time, when the touchposition passes a boundary of the operation area R, for example, in oneor both of the states in which the touch position deviates from theoperation area R, and in which the touch position deviating from theoperation area R has returned to the operation area R.

According to modification A9, a user can intuitively recognize that thetouch position has passed the boundary of the operation area R by thevibration of the touch panel 11.

Modification A10

In the first embodiment and the modifications A1 to A9, the touch panel11 may also output touch information regarding the shape of a touch areaon the touch panel 11 with which an object comes in contact, and thetouch position information acquirer 144 may also acquire the touchinformation output from the touch panel 11.

In this case, the input presence determiner 146 determines whether inputof a face direction instruction is present, on the basis of both thepressure information and the touch information. For example, when thepressure indicated by the pressure information is equal to or greaterthan the first threshold, and the shape of the touch area indicated bythe touch information has a predetermined feature, the input presencedeterminer 146 determines that input of a face direction instruction ispresent.

The predetermined feature is, for example, an aspect ratio(length/width) of a specific range. In a modification A10, the length ofa long axis of an ellipse, in a case in which the touch area isapproximated by the ellipse, is regarded as a longitudinal length of thetouch area, and the length of a short axis of the ellipse is regarded asa lateral length of the touch area.

According to the modification A10, it is determined whether input of aface direction instruction is present, on the basis of both the pressureapplied to the touch panel 11 and the shape of the touch area.Therefore, the accuracy of the determination can be improved, ascompared to a configuration in which it is determined whether input of aface direction instruction is present on the basis of only the pressureapplied to the touch panel 11.

As an example, even if the information processing apparatus 10 isdropped on the floor by mistake, to applying a pressure greater than thefirst threshold to the touch panel 11, when the shape of the touch areadoes not have the predetermined feature, erroneous determination ofinput of a face direction instruction can be prevented.

The predetermined feature is not limited to the aspect ratio(length/width) of the specific range, and can be appropriately changed.For example, the predetermined feature may be a boundary length of thespecific range, or an area of the specific range.

Modification A11

In the first embodiment and the modifications A1 to A10, the displaycontroller 143 may display information regarding a determination resultby the instruction determiner 147 on the touch panel 11.

For example, the display controller 143 may display informationindicating a determination result such as a character or a sign (forexample, an arrow) indicating the direction indicated by thedetermination result from the instruction determiner 147 on the touchpanel 11.

Furthermore, the display controller 143 may display a portion of an areacorresponding to the direction indicated by the determination resultfrom the instruction determiner 147 (hereinafter, “predeterminedportion”) in a predetermined display mode on the touch panel 11. Thepredetermined display mode is a concept including some or all of, forexample, displaying in a predetermined color, changing the brightness,for example, by flashing, and increasing the brightness thereof relativeto other portions.

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating a display example in a case in whichthe determination result by the instruction determiner 147 indicates anupward direction. In FIG. 19, as an example of a predetermined portion,an area 111 a is shown. The area 111 a is away from the operation area Rby a predetermined distance or more, and is in a direction from theoperation area R that is a direction corresponding to the directionindicated by the determination result from the instruction determiner147. Specifically, in FIG. 19, an upper portion 111 a having an upperedge portion of the touch panel 11 is displayed, as the area 111 a, in apredetermined color. The predetermined portion is not limited to theportion illustrated in FIG. 19, and can be appropriately changed.

On the touch panel 11, the edge portion in the direction indicated bythe determination result from the instruction determiner 147 is notlikely to be hidden by a user's digit. Therefore, the user can easilyrecognize the determination result by the instruction determiner 147.

Modification A12

The instruction regarding the game described above is an example of an“instruction”. The “instruction” may be a concept including an“instruction relating to a service provided by using the touch panel”,in addition to the “instruction regarding the game”.

The “first instruction regarding the game” described above is an exampleof the “first instruction”, and the “second instruction regarding thegame” described above is an example of the “second instruction”.

The “first instruction” may be, for example, a concept including the“instruction relating to a service provided by using the touch panel11”, in addition to the “instruction regarding the game”.

The “second instruction” may be, for example, a concept including the“instruction relating to a service provided by using the touch panel11”, in addition to the “instruction regarding the game”.

Modification A13 The “direction regarding the game indicated by theinstruction” described above is not limited to the direction indicatedby a face direction instruction.

The “direction regarding the game indicated by the instruction” may be,for example, a direction in a virtual space V related to the game, or adirection on a screen in which an image of the game is displayed.

The direction in the virtual space related to the game is the directionof a change in one or both of the position and the posture of a virtualobject (a game element related to the progress of the game) present inthe virtual space V related to the game. For example, a “direction ofmovement of a character operated by a user” is cited as an example ofthe “direction in the virtual space related to the game”, andfurthermore, as an example of the “direction regarding the gameindicated by the instruction”.

The “virtual object present in the virtual space related to the game”is, for example, a character or an object of the game, or a virtualcamera that takes a picture of the virtual space.

The “direction on a screen in which an image of the game is displayed”may be a direction of a change in one or both of the position and theposture of the virtual object (a game element related to the progress ofthe game), displayed in the image of the game, on the screen, or may bea direction of movement of a pointer or the like (a game element that isnot related to the progress of the game) displayed on the menu screenrelated to the game.

Modification A14

The “first instruction regarding the game” described above is notlimited to the offensive or defensive motion instruction.

The “first instruction” may be, for example, an instruction regarding amotion of a virtual object (a game element related to the progress ofthe game) present in the virtual space V related to the game, or aninstruction of a direction regarding the game.

The “motion of a virtual object” may be an attack motion of thecharacter as described above, or may be a defense motion of thecharacter as described above, in a case in which the virtual object is acharacter of the game.

Modification A15

The “second instruction regarding the game” described above is notlimited to the face direction instruction.

The “second instruction” may be, for example, an instruction of thedirection regarding the game, or an instruction regarding a motion of avirtual object.

Modification A16

The “first area” described above is not limited to theoffensive-defensive motion input area.

The “first area” is an area set on the touch panel 11, and is an exampleof an area for receiving the first instruction. The “first area” may bean area provided in a mode visible on the touch panel 11 for input ofthe first instruction, or may be a virtual area provided in a mode notvisible on the touch panel 11 for input of the first instruction.

The “area provided in a mode visible on the touch panel” is, forexample, a virtual key displayed on the touch panel 11.

The virtual key may be, for example, a key for inputting an attackmotion, or a key for inputting a defense motion.

Modification A17

The “second area” described above is not limited to the face directioninstruction input area.

The “second area” is an area different from the first area set on thetouch panel 11, and is an example of an area for receiving the secondinstruction. For example, the “second area” may be an area provided in amode visible on the touch panel 11 for input of the second instruction,or may be a virtual area provided in a mode not visible on the touchpanel 11 for input of the second instruction.

The “area provided in a mode visible on the touch panel” may be, forexample, a virtual direction key for upward, downward, rightward, andleftward directions displayed on the touch panel 11, or may be a virtualcross key displayed on the touch panel 11.

The “direction key for upward, downward, rightward, and leftwarddirections” may have an up key for specifying an upward direction, adown key for specifying a downward direction, a right key for specifyinga rightward direction, and a left key for specifying a leftwarddirection.

In this case, the up key, the down key, the right key, and the left keymay come in contact with each other, or may be arranged with a gaptherebetween.

B: Second Embodiment

Next, a second embodiment is described. In each example illustratedbelow, for elements having functions substantially identical to those ofthe first embodiment, reference signs used in the descriptions of thefirst embodiment are used, and detailed explanations of such elementsare omitted as appropriate.

In the second embodiment, for example, the presence of input of aninstruction with respect to the touch panel 11 is determined on thebasis of information of an area on the touch panel 11 with which anobject comes in contact.

The information processing apparatus 10 according to the secondembodiment has a configuration substantially identical to aconfiguration of the first embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.That is, the information processing apparatus 10 according to the secondembodiment includes the touch panel 11, the pressure detector 12, thevibrator 13, the controller 14, and the storage device 15.

The touch panel 11 can receive input of an instruction regarding thedirection on the touch panel 11 (hereinafter, “panel directioninstruction”).

The direction on the touch panel 11 is an example of the direction inthe touch panel 11. The directions on the touch panel 11 are, forexample, “right” and “left” specified by the X-axis illustrated in FIG.1, and “up” and “down” specified by the Y-axis illustrated in FIG. 1.

The panel direction instruction is an example of an instructionregarding the direction in the touch panel.

The instruction regarding the direction in the touch panel is an exampleof the “instruction”.

The “instruction” is a concept, for example, including an “instructionfor selecting an option”, in addition to the “instruction regarding thedirection in the touch panel”. The “instruction for selecting an option”is, for example, an instruction to select a numeral or a sign displayedon the touch panel 11 as the option.

Input of a panel direction instruction is performed by, for example, thethumb of a user. The thumb of the user is an example of an object.

The touch panel 11 also outputs touch information regarding an area ofthe touch panel 11 with which the object comes in contact (hereinafter,“touch area”). The touch information indicates at least an area of thetouch area.

FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating an example of a touch area S between athumb F and the touch panel 11 in the reference state (a state in whichthe backside portion of the thumbnail of the pad of the thumb F is nottilted with respect to the touch panel 11).

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating an example of the touch area S in astate with the thumb F being tilted so that the thumb F is located onthe right side on the touch panel 11 more than the state illustrated inFIG. 20 (hereinafter, “rightward instructed state”).

FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating an example of the touch area S in astate with the tip of the thumb F being brought into contact with thetouch panel 11 (hereinafter, “upward instructed state”).

Although not illustrated, in a state in which the first joint portion ofthe thumb F, of the pad of the thumb F, comes in contact with the touchpanel 11 (hereinafter, “downward instructed state”), the area of thetouch area S becomes larger than the area of the touch area S in each ofthe cases illustrated from FIG. 20 to FIG. 22, and the shape of thetouch area S is different from the shape of the touch area S in each ofthe cases illustrated from FIG. 20 to FIG. 22.

Although not illustrated, in a state of tilting the thumb F so that thethumb F is located on the left side on the touch panel 11 with respectto the thumb F in the state illustrated in FIG. 20 (hereinafter,“leftward instructed state”), the area of the touch area S becomeslarger than the area of the touch area S in each of the casesillustrated in FIG. 21, and becomes smaller than the area of the toucharea S in the downward instructed state. Furthermore, the shape of thetouch area S in the leftward instructed state is different from theshape of the touch area S in each of the cases illustrated in FIG. 20 toFIG. 22 and from the shape of the touch area S in the downwardinstructed state.

In this manner, as a positional relationship between the thumb F and thetouch panel 11 changes in a state with the thumb F coining in contactwith the touch panel 11, the area and the shape of the touch area Schange.

Therefore, the information processing apparatus 10 according to thesecond embodiment determines whether input of a panel directioninstruction is present, in accordance with the touch area S.

Specifically, the information processing apparatus 10 according to thesecond embodiment determines that no input of a panel directioninstruction is present, when the reference state occurs. The informationprocessing apparatus 10 according to the second embodiment determinesthat “input of a panel direction instruction instructing the rightwarddirection is present” when the rightward instructed state occurs. Theinformation processing apparatus 10 according to the second embodimentdetermines that “input of a panel direction instruction instructing theleftward direction is present” when the leftward instructed stateoccurs. The information processing apparatus 10 according to the secondembodiment determines that “input of a panel direction instructioninstructing the upward direction is present” when the upward instructedstate occurs. The information processing apparatus 10 according to thesecond embodiment determines that “input of a panel directioninstruction instructing the downward direction is present” when thedownward instructed state occurs.

FIG. 23 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration ofthe information processing apparatus 10 according to the secondembodiment. The second embodiment is different from the first embodimentin that a touch information acquirer 1401 and a determiner 1402 areprovided, but the setter 142, the touch position information acquirer144, the input presence determiner 146, and the instruction determiner147 are not provided.

The controller 14 according to the second embodiment executes a programstored in the storage device 15, thereby functioning as the gamecontroller 141, the display controller 143, the pressure informationacquirer 145, the vibration controller 148, the touch informationacquirer 1401, and the determiner 1402. Some or all of the functions ofthe controller 14 may be realized by dedicated electronic circuitry.

The touch information acquirer 1401 acquires touch information output bythe touch panel 11.

When the touch information acquired by the touch information acquirer1401 indicates that a contact of an object with the touch panel 11 ispresent, for example, when the area of the touch area indicated by thetouch information is greater than “0”, the determiner 1402 determineswhether input of a panel direction instruction is present, on the basisof the touch information. In the following descriptions, “touchinformation” represents “touch information acquired by the touchinformation acquirer 1401”, unless otherwise described.

For example, the determiner 1402 determines whether input of a paneldirection instruction is present, by referring to a determination tablestored in the storage device 15.

FIG. 24 is a diagram illustrating an example of a determination table J.In the determination table J, an area of the touch area and adetermination result are described in association with each other.

In FIG. 24, “neutral” in the determination result means that no input ofa panel direction instruction is present. G1 to G10 are positive numberssatisfying G1≤G2<G3≤G4<G5≤G6<G7≤G8<G9≤G10. The association between thearea of the touch area and the determination result illustrated in FIG.24 is only an example, and can be appropriately changed. For example, inFIG. 24, “right” and “left” may be reversed.

In the following descriptions, a range from the area G1 to the area G2inclusive is referred to as “first predetermined range”. A range fromthe area G3 to the area G4 inclusive is referred to as “secondpredetermined range”. A range from the area G5 to the area G6 inclusiveis referred to as “third predetermined range”. A range from the area G7to the area G8 inclusive is referred to as “fourth predetermined range”.A range from the area G9 to the area G10 inclusive is referred to as“fifth predetermined range”.

For example, G1 to G10 are set so that when a user is operating theinformation processing apparatus 10 according to the second embodiment,the area of the touch area in the upward instructed state is included inthe first predetermined range, the area of the touch area in thereference state is included in the second predetermined range, the areaof the touch area in the rightward instructed state is included in thethird predetermined range, the area of the touch area in the leftwardinstructed state is included in the fourth predetermined range, and thearea of the touch area in the downward instructed state is included inthe fifth predetermined range.

In the second embodiment, the game controller 141 reflects thedetermination result by the determiner 1402 in the progress of the game.For example, when the determiner 1402 determines that “no input of apanel direction instruction is present”, the game controller 141 setsthe direction of the face B to the front. Furthermore, when thedeterminer 1402 determines that “input of a panel direction instructioninstructing the rightward direction is present”, the game controller 141sets the direction of the face B to the right.

The display controller 143 displays a game image based on the game imageinformation generated by the game controller 141 on the touch panel 11.The vibration controller 148 causes the vibrator 13 to vibrate when thedetermination result by the determiner 1402 changes.

An example of an operation of the information processing apparatus 10according to the second embodiment is described, with reference to FIG.25. The operation illustrated in FIG. 25 is started when a predeterminedstart operation is performed. In the descriptions of the operation withreference to FIG. 25, it is assumed that a game image is displayed onthe touch panel 11 by the display controller 143.

When the touch information acquirer 1401 acquires touch information(Step S200), the determiner 1402 determines whether input of a paneldirection instruction with respect to the touch panel 11 is present, onthe basis of the touch information, by referring to the determinationtable J (Step S202).

At Step S202, when the touch information indicates that a contact of anobject with the touch panel 11 is present, and when the area of thetouch area indicated by the touch information belongs to any one of thefirst predetermined range, the third predetermined range, the fourthpredetermined range, and the fifth predetermined range, the determiner1402 determines that input of a panel direction instruction is present.

The area of the touch area indicated by the touch information belongingto any one of the first predetermined range, the third predeterminedrange, the fourth predetermined range, and the fifth predetermined range(hereinafter, “first determination condition”) is an example of thefirst condition.

On the other hand, even if the touch information indicates that acontact of an object with the touch panel 11 is present, when the areaof the touch area indicated by the touch information does not belong toany one of the first predetermined range, the third predetermined range,the fourth predetermined range, and the fifth predetermined range, thatis, the first determination condition is not satisfied, the determiner1402 determines that no input of a panel direction instruction ispresent. Furthermore, when the first determination condition is notsatisfied, the determiner 1402 determines that no input of a paneldirection instruction is present, not only in the case in which no touchto the touch panel 11 is present, but also even if a touch to the touchpanel 11 is present.

When having determined that input of a panel direction instruction ispresent (S202: YES), the determiner 1402 determines the contents of thepanel direction instruction on the basis of the touch information (StepS204).

At Step S204, the determiner 1402 specifies a range to which the area ofthe touch area indicated by the touch information belongs, from amongthe first predetermined range, the third predetermined range, the fourthpredetermined range, and the fifth predetermined range. Then, thedeterminer 1402 determines a determination result associated with thespecified range in the determination table J (any one of upward,downward, rightward, and leftward) as the direction indicated by thepanel direction instruction. Furthermore, the determiner 1402 stores thecurrent determination result in the storage device 15, and deletes thedetermination result, which is different from both the currentdetermination result and the previous determination result, from thestorage device 15.

Subsequently, when the current determination result by the determiner1402 has changed from the previous determination result by thedeterminer 1402 (S206: YES), the vibration controller 148 triggers thevibrator 13 to vibrate the entire information processing apparatus 10including the touch panel 11 for the first predetermined time (StepS208).

When the determiner 1402 has determined that no input of a paneldirection instruction is present (S202: NO), the determination at StepS204 is not performed, but the determination at Step S206 is performed.Furthermore, when the current determination result by the determiner1402 has not changed from the previous determination result by thedeterminer 1402 (S206: NO), the vibration controller 148 does nottrigger the vibrator 13.

According to the second embodiment, when the touch information indicatesthat a contact of an object with the touch panel 11 is present, thedeterminer 1402 determines whether input of a panel directioninstruction is present, on the basis of the touch information.Therefore, a user can prevent input of an erroneous panel directioninstruction to the touch panel 11, regardless of a touch position to thetouch panel 11, by adjusting the area of the touch area.

When the first determination condition is satisfied, the determiner 1402determines that input of a panel direction instruction is present.Therefore, a user can decrease a gap between the determination resultregarding the panel direction instruction and user's sense of input ofthe panel direction instruction, by setting the first determinationcondition corresponding to the size of the user's thumb F.

In the second embodiment, for example, configurations exemplified belowmay be employed.

Modification B1

The determiner 1402 may perform a process illustrated in FIG. 26.Specifically, in the second embodiment, a process of determining thepresence of input of a panel direction instruction is performed first asillustrated in FIG. 25, and when input is present, a process ofdetermining the instruction contents is performed. However, theseprocesses may be performed collectively. In FIG. 26, processessubstantially identical to processes illustrated in FIG. 25 are denotedby common reference signs. Processes illustrated in FIG. 26 aredescribed below mainly for the points different from those illustratedin FIG. 25.

In FIG. 26, at Step S302, in a state in which the touch informationindicates that a contact of an object with the touch panel 11 ispresent, when the area of the touch area indicated by the touchinformation belongs to the first predetermined range, the determiner1402 determines that input of a panel direction instruction indicatingan upward direction is present. When the area of the touch area belongsto the third predetermined range, the determiner 1402 determines thatinput of a panel direction instruction indicating a rightward directionis present. When the area of the touch area belongs to the fourthpredetermined range, the determiner 1402 determines that input of apanel direction instruction indicating a leftward direction is present.When the area of the touch area belongs to the fifth predeterminedrange, the determiner 1402 determines that input of a panel directioninstruction indicating a downward direction is present. When the area ofthe touch area does not belong to any one of the first predeterminedrange, the third predetermined range, the fourth predetermined range,and the fifth predetermined range, the determiner 1402 determines thatno input of a panel direction instruction is present.

According to a modification B1, the processes at Step S202 and Step S204illustrated in FIG. 25 are performed collectively at Step S302.Therefore, the determination processing can be simplified as compared tothe second embodiment.

Modification B2

In the second embodiment, when the difference between the area of thetouch area at a time when a rightward instructed state occurs and thearea of the touch area at a time when a leftward instructed state occursis not large, there is a possibility that erroneous determination mayoccur in the determination of the rightward direction and thedetermination of the leftward direction with regard to the paneldirection instruction.

Therefore, the rightward direction and the leftward direction may bedetermined with regard to the panel direction instruction, bysupplemental usage of the touch position to the touch panel 11.

The hardware configuration of the information processing apparatus 10according to a modification B2 is substantially identical to that of theinformation processing apparatus 10 according to the first embodimentillustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. That is, the information processingapparatus 10 according to the modification B2 includes the touch panel11, the pressure detector 12, the vibrator 13, the controller 14, andthe storage device 15.

FIG. 27 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration ofthe information processing apparatus 10 according to the modificationB2. The controller 14 according to the modification B2 executes aprogram stored in the storage device 15, thereby functioning as the gamecontroller 141, the display controller 143, the touch positioninformation acquirer 144, the pressure information acquirer 145, thevibration controller 148, the touch information acquirer 1401, thedeterminer 1402, and a right-and-left determination area setter 1403.Some or all of the functions of the controller 14 may be realized bydedicated electronic circuitry.

The modification B2 is different from the second embodiment and themodification B1 in that the touch position information acquirer 144 andthe right-and-left determination area setter 1403 are provided.

The right-and-left determination area setter 1403 sets a right-and-leftdetermination area Rc on the touch panel 11, for example, as illustratedin FIG. 28. The display controller 143 displays the right-and-leftdetermination area Rc set by the right-and-left determination areasetter 1403 on the touch panel 11. The right-and-left determination areaRc includes a right determination area Rcr, and a left determinationarea Rcl set on the left side of the right determination area Rcr.

When the area of the touch area belongs to either the thirdpredetermined range or the fourth predetermined range, the determiner1402 determines whether a touch position indicated by the touch positioninformation acquired by the touch position information acquirer 144belongs to the right determination area Rcr or the left determinationarea Rcl.

Specifically, when the touch position belongs to the right determinationarea Rcr, the determiner 1402 determines that the panel directioninstruction indicates the rightward direction. On the other hand, whenthe touch position belongs to the left determination area Rcl, thedeterminer 1402 determines that the panel direction instructionindicates the leftward direction.

The right-and-left determination area setter 1403 may fix the positionof the right-and-left determination area Rc on the touch panel 11without performing resetting, or may reset the right-and-leftdetermination area Rc in accordance with the touch position.

For example, the right-and-left determination area setter 1403 may setthe right-and-left determination area Rc at a position on the touchpanel 11 based on the touch position at the time when the determiner1402 determines that no input of a panel direction instruction ispresent.

As an example, the right-and-left determination area setter 1403 setsthe right-and-left determination area Rc so that a position of thecenter of gravity of the right-and-left determination area Rc isarranged at a touch position on the touch panel 11 at the time when thedeterminer 1402 determines that no input of a panel directioninstruction is present.

According to the modification B2, it is determined, in accordance withthe touch position to the touch panel 11, whether a panel directioninstruction indicates the rightward direction or the leftward direction.Therefore, the accuracy of the determination can be improved as comparedto a configuration that determines whether a panel direction instructionindicates the rightward direction or the leftward direction, withoutusing the touch position to the touch panel 11.

In the modification B2, the touch position is used to determine therightward and leftward directions. However, the touch position may beused to determine upward, downward, rightward, and leftward directions.

Modification B3

In the second embodiment, the modification B1, and the modification B2,the determiner 1402 may determine whether input of a panel directioninstruction to the touch panel 11 is present, on the basis of a speed ofa change in the area of the touch area indicated by the touchinformation. For example, the determiner 1402 determines that input of apanel direction instruction to the touch panel 11 is present when thespeed of a change in the area of the touch area indicated by the touchinformation is equal to or greater than a third speed reference value.

A state in which the speed of a change in the area of the touch areabecomes equal to or greater than a certain value is assumed to be astate in which a user is inputting some kind of instruction to the touchpanel 11. Therefore, it can be determined whether input of a paneldirection instruction is present, on the basis of the speed of a changein the area of the touch area indicated by the touch information.

According to the configuration in which it is determined whether inputof a panel direction instruction to the touch panel 11 is present, onthe basis of the speed of a change in the area of the touch areaindicated by the touch information, erroneous determination due to oneor both of an individual difference of the size of a digit that touchesthe touch panel 11, and an individual difference of the strength of apressing force with respect to the touch panel 11 at the time oftouching the touch panel 11, can be reduced, as compared to aconfiguration in which it is determined whether input of a paneldirection instruction to the touch panel 11 is present, on the basis ofthe size of the area of the touch area indicated by the touchinformation.

The determiner 1402 may determine that input of a panel directioninstruction to the touch panel 11 is present, when the rise rate of thespeed of a change in the area of the touch area indicated by the touchinformation is equal to or greater than a fourth speed reference value.

The “third speed reference value” and the “fourth speed reference value”may each be a specific value or be a value changed by a user, forexample.

Modification B4

In the second embodiment, the modification B1, and the modification B2,the touch information may not indicate the area of the touch area, butmay indicate at least the shape of the touch area.

In this case, a determination table J1 as illustrated in FIG. 29 isused, instead of the determination table J as illustrated in FIG. 24. Inthe determination table J1, an aspect ratio (length/width) of the toucharea and a determination result are described in association with eachother. The aspect ratio of the touch area (hereinafter, simply “aspectratio”) is an example of an index value defined in accordance with theshape of the touch area.

In a modification B4, as in the modification A10, the length of a longaxis of an ellipse in a case in which the touch area is approximated bythe ellipse is regarded as a longitudinal length of the touch area, andthe length of a short axis of the ellipse is regarded as a laterallength of the touch area.

In FIG. 29, H1 to H10 are positive numbers satisfyingH1≤H2<H3≤H4<H5≤H6<H7≤H8<H9≤H10. The association between the aspect ratioof the touch area and the determination result illustrated in FIG. 29 isonly an example, and may be appropriately changed. For example, in FIG.29, “right” and “left” may be reversed.

In the following descriptions, a range from the aspect ratio H1 to theaspect ratio H2 inclusive is referred to as “sixth predetermined range”.A range from the aspect ratio H3 to the aspect ratio H4 inclusive isreferred to as “seventh predetermined range”. A range from the aspectratio H5 to the aspect ratio H6 inclusive is referred to as “eighthpredetermined range”. A range from the aspect ratio H7 to the aspectratio H8 inclusive is referred to as “ninth predetermined range”. Arange from the aspect ratio H9 to the aspect ratio H10 inclusive isreferred to as “tenth predetermined range”.

For example, H1 to H10 are each set so that when a user is operating theinformation processing apparatus 10 according to the modification B4,the aspect ratio in the reference state is included in the sixthpredetermined range, the aspect ratio in the upward instructed state isincluded in the seventh predetermined range, the aspect ratio in thedownward instructed state is included in the eighth predetermined range,the aspect ratio in the leftward instructed state is included in theninth predetermined range, and the aspect ratio in the rightwardinstructed state is included in the tenth predetermined range.

In the modification B4, the operation illustrated in FIG. 25 isperformed as described below.

That is, when the touch information acquirer 1401 acquires the touchinformation (Step S200), the determiner 1402 determines whether input ofa panel direction instruction to the touch panel 11 is present, on thebasis of the touch information by referring to the determination tableJ1 (Step S202).

At Step S202, when the touch information indicates that a contact of anobject with the touch panel 11 is present, the determiner 1402calculates the aspect ratio of the touch area indicated by the touchinformation. When the calculated aspect ratio belongs to any one of theseventh predetermined range, the eighth predetermined range, the ninthpredetermined range, and the tenth predetermined range, the determiner1402 determines that input of a panel direction instruction is present.

The aspect ratio of the touch area being included in any one of theseventh predetermined range, the eighth predetermined range, the ninthpredetermined range, and the tenth predetermined range (hereinafter,“second determination condition”) is an example of a second condition.

On the other hand, when the aspect ratio of the touch area does notbelong to any one of the seventh predetermined range, the eighthpredetermined range, the ninth predetermined range, and the tenthpredetermined range, that is, the second determination condition is notsatisfied, the determiner 1402 determines that input of a paneldirection instruction is present.

When determining that input of a panel direction instruction is present(S202: YES), the determiner 1402 determines the contents of the paneldirection instruction on the basis of the touch information (Step S204).

At Step S204, the determiner 1402 specifies a range to which the aspectratio of the touch area belongs, from among the seventh predeterminedrange, the eighth predetermined range, the ninth predetermined range,and the tenth predetermined range. The determiner 1402 determines adetermination result associated with the specified range in thedetermination table J1 (any one of upward, downward, rightward, andleftward) as the direction indicated by the panel direction instruction.Furthermore, the determiner 1402 stores the current determination resultin the storage device 15, and deletes the determination result, which isdifferent from both the current determination result and the previousdetermination result, from the storage device 15.

Subsequently, when the current determination result by the determiner1402 has changed from the previous determination result by thedeterminer 1402 (S206: YES), the vibration controller 148 triggers thevibrator 13 to vibrate the entire information processing apparatus 10including the touch panel 11 for the first predetermined time (StepS208).

According to the modification B4, when the second determinationcondition is satisfied, the determiner 1402 determines that input of apanel direction instruction is present. Therefore, for example, when thesecond determination condition is set in accordance with the shape ofthe user's thumb F, a gap between the determination result regarding thepanel direction instruction and user's sense of input of the paneldirection instruction can be decreased.

In the modification B4, in a state in which the touch informationindicates that a contact of an object with the touch panel 11 ispresent, Step S302 of the operations illustrated in FIG. 26 may beperformed as described below.

When the aspect ratio of the touch area belongs to the seventhpredetermined range, the determiner 1402 determines that input of apanel direction instruction indicating the upward direction is present.

When the aspect ratio of the touch area belongs to the eighthpredetermined range, the determiner 1402 determines that input of apanel direction instruction indicating the downward direction ispresent.

When the aspect ratio of the touch area belongs to the ninthpredetermined range, the determiner 1402 determines that input of apanel direction instruction indicating the leftward direction ispresent.

When the aspect ratio of the touch area belongs to the tenthpredetermined range, the determiner 1402 determines that input of apanel direction instruction indicating the rightward direction ispresent.

When the aspect ratio of the touch area does not belong to any one ofthe seventh predetermined range, the eighth predetermined range, theninth predetermined range, and the tenth predetermined range, thedeterminer 1402 determines that no input of a panel directioninstruction is present.

Furthermore, in the modification B4, information indicating whether theapproximated ellipse is vertically long or horizontally long(hereinafter, “vertically long horizontally long information”) may befurther shown on the touch panel 11 in FIG. 29. In this case, thedetermination result is associated with respect to a combination of theaspect ratio and the vertically long horizontally long information.

Modification B5

In the modification B4, the determiner 1402 may determine whether inputof a panel direction instruction to the touch panel 11 is present, onthe basis of the speed of a change in the aspect ratio of the toucharea. For example, when the speed of a change in the aspect ratio of thetouch area is equal to or greater than a fifth speed reference value,the determiner 1402 determines that input of a panel directioninstruction to the touch panel 11 is present.

A state in which the speed of a change in the aspect ratio of the toucharea becomes equal to or greater than a certain value is assumed to be astate in which a user is inputting some kind of instruction to the touchpanel 11. Therefore, it can be determined whether input of a paneldirection instruction is present, on the basis of the speed of a changein the aspect ratio of the touch area.

According to the configuration in which it is determined whether inputof a panel direction instruction to the touch panel 11 is present on thebasis of the speed of a change in the aspect ratio of the touch area,erroneous determination due to an individual difference of the size of adigit that touches the touch panel 11 can be reduced, as compared to aconfiguration in which it is determined whether input of a paneldirection instruction to the touch panel 11 is present on the basis ofthe size of the aspect ratio of the touch area.

When a rise rate of the speed of a change in the aspect ratio of thetouch area is equal to or greater than a sixth speed reference value,the determiner 1402 may determine that input of a panel directioninstruction to the touch panel 11 is present.

The “fifth speed reference value” and the “sixth speed reference value”may each be, for example, a fixed value or a value changed by a user.

Modification B6

In the second embodiment, and the modifications B1 to B3, when the touchinformation indicates the area and the shape of the touch area, thedeterminer 1402 may determine whether input of a panel directioninstruction to the touch panel 11 is present, by using both thedetermination table J and the determination table J1.

For example, when both the first determination condition and the seconddetermination condition are satisfied in a state in which the touchinformation indicates that a contact of an object with the touch panel11 is present, the determiner 1402 determines that input of a paneldirection instruction to the touch panel 11 is present.

Furthermore, the determiner 1402 determines the panel directioninstruction in the following manner. That is, when the area of the toucharea belongs to the first predetermined range and the aspect ratio ofthe touch area belongs to the seventh predetermined range, thedeterminer 1402 determines that input of a panel direction instructionindicating the upward direction is present. When the area of the toucharea belongs to the fifth predetermined range and the aspect ratio ofthe touch area belongs to the eighth predetermined range, the determiner1402 determines that input of a panel direction instruction indicatingthe downward direction is present. When the area of the touch areabelongs to the fourth predetermined range and the aspect ratio of thetouch area belongs to the ninth predetermined range, the determiner 1402determines that input of a panel direction instruction indicating theleftward direction is present. When the area of the touch area belongsto the third predetermined range and the aspect ratio of the touch areabelongs to the tenth predetermined range, the determiner 1402 determinesthat input of a panel direction instruction indicating the rightwarddirection is present.

In a modification B6, the determiner 1402 determines whether input of apanel direction instruction is present, by using the area and the shapeof the touch area. Therefore, the accuracy of the determination can beimproved as compared to a configuration in which it is determinedwhether input of a panel direction instruction is present by using onlyone of the area and the shape of the touch area.

Modification B7

In the second embodiment, and the modifications B1 to B3, the determiner1402 may determine whether input of a panel direction instruction ispresent on the basis of both the area indicated by the touch informationand the pressure information.

For example, in the second embodiment, when the pressure indicated bythe pressure information is equal to or greater than the first thresholdin the state in which the first determination condition is satisfied,the determiner 1402 determines that input of a panel directioninstruction is present. The pressure indicated by the pressureinformation being equal to or greater than the first threshold in thestate in which the first determination condition is satisfied is anexample of a third condition. When it is determined that input of apanel direction instruction is present, for example, processes at andafter S204 illustrated in FIG. 25 are performed.

In the modification B4 and a modification B5, the determiner 1402 maydetermine whether input of a panel direction instruction is present, onthe basis of both the shape indicated by the touch information and thepressure information.

For example, in the modification B4, when the pressure indicated by thepressure information is equal to or greater than the first threshold ina state in which the second determination condition is satisfied, thedeterminer 1402 determines that input of a panel direction instructionis present. The pressure indicated by the pressure information beingequal to or greater than the first threshold in the state in which thesecond determination condition is satisfied is another example of thethird condition. When it is determined that input of a panel directioninstruction is present, for example, the processes at and after S204illustrated in FIG. 25 are performed.

In the modification B6, the determiner 1402 may determine whether inputof a panel direction instruction is present, on the basis of the areaand the shape indicated by the touch information and the pressureinformation.

For example, in the modification B6, when the pressure indicated by thepressure information is equal to or greater than the first threshold ina state in which the first determination condition and the seconddetermination condition are satisfied, the determiner 1402 determinesthat input of a panel direction instruction is present. The pressureindicated by the pressure information being equal to or greater than thefirst threshold in the state in which the first determination conditionand the second determination condition are satisfied is another exampleof the third condition. When it is determined that input of a paneldirection instruction is present, in the modification B6, the determiner1402 determines the panel direction instruction as described above.

Furthermore, the third condition may be a condition in which thepressure indicated by the pressure information is equal to or greaterthan a third threshold. Here, the “third threshold” is a threshold fordetermining whether input of an instruction is present, and may be, forexample, a fixed value or a value changed by a user.

Furthermore, the determiner 1402 may correct the first determinationcondition on the basis of the pressure indicated by the pressureinformation in a state in which the area of the touch area belongs tothe second predetermined range.

When an object coining in contact with the touch panel 11 is a humandigit, as the pressure indicated by the pressure information becomesless in the state in which the area of the touch area belongs to thesecond predetermined range, it is estimated that the digit is large. Thedeterminer 1402 corrects some or all of the areas G1 to G10 shown in thedetermination table J in accordance with the estimation. For example, asthe pressure indicated by the pressure information becomes less in thestate in which the area of the touch area belongs to the secondpredetermined range, the determiner 1402 increases some or all of theareas G1 to G10.

The determiner 1402 may correct the second determination condition onthe basis of the pressure indicated by the pressure information in astate in which the aspect ratio of the touch area belongs to the sixthpredetermined range. For example, as the pressure indicated by thepressure information becomes less in the state in which the aspect ratioof the touch area belongs to the sixth predetermined range, thedeterminer 1402 increases some or all of the aspect ratios H1 to H10.

Modification B8

In the second embodiment and the modifications B1 to B7, the displaycontroller 143 may display the information regarding the directionindicated by the panel direction instruction, from among thedetermination results by the determiner 1402, on the touch panel 11 asin a modification A11 described above.

Modification B9

The “object” described above is not limited to the thumb F of a user.The object may be an object having a feature in which at least one ofthe area or the shape of the touch area on the touch panel 11 with whichthe object comes in contact changes in accordance with a change in theposture of the object in a state in which the object comes in contactwith the touch panel. The object may be an object having a feature inwhich at least one of the area or the shape of the touch area on thetouch panel 11 with which the object comes in contact changes inaccordance with a change in the pressure applied to the touch panel 11in a state in which the object comes in contact with the touch panel 11.

Specifically, the “object” may be a human digit including the thumb Fdescribed above, or a pointer having a pen shape of which a tip end isformed by an elastic body such as one of rubber.

Modification B10

The “instruction regarding the direction in the touch panel” is notlimited to the panel direction instruction.

The “instruction regarding the direction in the touch panel” is aninstruction including information indicating a direction, for example,based on the “touch panel 11” or a “coordinate system provided on thetouch panel 11”.

The information indicating the direction based on the “touch panel 11”or the “coordinate system provided on the touch panel 11” may be, forexample, information indicated by a vector defined in the coordinatesystem provided on the touch panel 11.

Modification B11

The “direction in the touch panel” described above is not limited to adirection on the touch panel 11.

The “direction in the touch panel” may be, for example, a direction on aplane in which the touch panel 11 is present, or may include a componentin a normal direction with respect to the touch panel 11.

The “direction on a plane in which the touch panel 11 is present” maybe, for example, a direction indicated by upward, downward, rightward,and leftward direction keys or indicated by a cross key displayed orvirtually set on the touch panel 11.

Modification B12

The “first condition” described above is not limited to the “firstdetermination condition”.

The first condition may be, for example, a “condition that the area ofthe touch area S does not belong to a first range”, or a “condition thatthe area of the touch area S belongs to a second range”.

The “first range” may be a range in which the area of the touch area Scan change, for example, in a state in which the pressure between anobject and the touch panel 11 is equal to or less than a firstpredetermined value.

The “second range” may be, for example, a range of the area that isdifferent from the first range, the maximum of the range of the areabeing equal to or less than the area of the touch panel 11.

The “first range” and the “second range” may each be, for example, afixed range, or a range changed by a user.

Modification B13

The “second condition” described above is not limited to the “seconddetermination condition”.

The second condition may be, for example, a condition in which one or aplurality of index values defined in accordance with the shape of thetouch area S have a predetermined feature.

Here, “one or a plurality of index values” may be, for example, theaspect ratio of the touch area S described above, the direction of thetouch area S, or may include both the aspect ratio of the touch area Sand the direction of the touch area S.

The “direction of the touch area S” may be, in a case in which the toucharea S is approximated by an ellipse, a direction of a long axis of theellipse as seen from the coordinate system fixed on the touch panel 11(for example, a value of each component of a unit vector extending inthe long axis direction), or a direction of a short axis of the ellipse(for example, a value of each component of a unit vector extending inthe short axis direction).

In a case in which both the aspect ratio of the touch area S and thedirection of the touch area S are used, for example, determination ofwhether the state is a neutral state is performed on the basis of theaspect ratio of the touch area S shown in the determination table J1,and determination of upward, downward, rightward, and leftwarddirections is performed on the basis of the direction of the touch areaS.

An angle formed by the long axis of the ellipse approximating the toucharea S and the Y-axis increases in the order of the rightward instructedstate, the downward instructed state, the leftward instructed state, andthe upward instructed state. In the rightward instructed state, thedownward instructed state, the leftward instructed state, the directionof the long axis of the ellipse becomes substantially parallel to alength direction of the thumb F. However, in the upward instructedstate, the direction of the long axis of the ellipse becomessubstantially parallel to a width direction of the thumb F.

Therefore, determination of upward, downward, rightward, and leftwarddirections on the basis of the direction of the touch area S can beperformed on the basis of the angle formed by the long axis of theellipse approximating the touch area S and the Y-axis.

When “one or a plurality of index values” is the aspect ratio of thetouch area”, the “second condition” may be, for example, a “condition inwhich the aspect ratio does not belong to a third range”, or a“condition in which the aspect ratio belongs to a fourth range”.

The “third range” may be, for example, a range in which the aspect ratioof the touch area S can change in a state in which the pressure betweenthe object and the touch panel 11 is equal to or less than a secondpredetermined value.

The “fourth range” may be, for example, a range excluding the thirdrange from a range greater than “0”.

When “one or a plurality of index values” is the “direction of the toucharea S”, the “second condition” may be, for example, a “condition thatthe long axis direction of the ellipse approximating the touch area Sdoes not belong to a fifth range”, or a “condition that the long axisdirection of the ellipse approximating the touch area S belongs to asixth range”.

The “fifth range” may be, for example, a range in which the long axisdirection of the ellipse approximating the touch area can change in thecoordinate system fixed on the touch panel 11, in a case in which thepressure between the object and the touch panel 11 is equal to or lessthan a third predetermined value.

The “sixth range” may be, for example, a range excluding the fifth rangefrom a range in the coordinate system fixed on the touch panel 11.

The third to sixth ranges may each be, for example, a fixed range or arange changed by a user.

C: Other Modifications

The following modifications may be made to at least any one of the firstembodiment, the second embodiment, the modifications A1 to A17, and themodifications B1 to B13.

Modification C1

The direction indicated by a face direction instruction or the directionindicated by a panel direction instruction is not limited to the fourdirections of up, down, right, and left. It is sufficient for the numberof directions indicated by these instructions to be one or more, forexample, it may be two, it may be eight, or it may be a direction of avector starting from the reference point and ending at the touchposition.

Modification C2

The instruction input to the touch panel 11 is not limited to theinstruction regarding the direction, and may be, for example, aninstruction regarding selection. As an example, an instructionindicating one option selected from a plurality of options is cited. Inthis case, for example, an area of the option is set instead of theoperation area R illustrated in FIG. 1, and a first option, a secondoption, a third option, and a fourth option are set in the area of theoption.

Modification C3

The vibration controller 148 may be omitted. Some or all of the touchpanel 11, the pressure detector 12, and the vibrator 13 may be externalelements. Furthermore, some or all of the game controller 141, thesetter 142, the display controller 143, the detector 149, and theright-and-left determination area setter 1403 may be external elements.Furthermore, the program described above stored in the storage device 15may be distributed from a server apparatus (not shown) to theinformation processing apparatus 10. For example, the server apparatusdistributes the program described above stored in a storage deviceprovided in the server apparatus to the information processing apparatus10, and the information processing apparatus 10 stores the programdescribed above distributed from the server apparatus in the storagedevice 15. In this case, the storage device provided in the serverapparatus is an example of a computer-readable recording medium (forexample, a computer-readable non-transitory recording medium).

D: Other Aspects

Following aspects are included in at least any one of the firstembodiment, the second embodiment, the modifications A1 to A17, and themodifications B1 to B13.

Aspect D1

A recording medium having recorded therein a program for causing aprocessor to function as:

a touch position information acquirer configured to acquire touchposition information regarding a touch position on a touch panel;

a pressure information acquirer configured to acquire pressureinformation regarding a pressure applied to the touch panel;

an input presence determiner configured to determine, based on thepressure information acquired by the pressure information acquirer,whether input of an instruction is present; and

an instruction determiner configured to determine contents of theinstruction based on the touch position information acquired by thetouch position information acquirer, when a determination result by theinput presence determiner is affirmative.

Aspect D2

A recording medium having recorded therein a program for causing aprocessor to function as:

a touch information acquirer configured to acquire touch informationregarding at least one of an area and a shape of a touch area on a touchpanel with which an object comes in contact; and

a determiner configured to determine, when the touch informationacquired by the touch information acquirer indicates that a contact ofthe object with the touch panel is present, whether input of aninstruction is present based on the touch information.

Aspect D3

A recording medium having recorded therein a program for causing aprocessor to function as:

a touch position information acquirer configured to acquire touchposition information regarding a touch position on a touch panel, thetouch panel including a first area for inputting a first instruction anda second area for inputting a second instruction;

a pressure information acquirer configured to acquire pressureinformation regarding a pressure applied to the touch panel;

a first determiner configured to determine, based on the touch positioninformation acquired by the touch position information acquirer, whetherinput of the first instruction is present; and

a second determiner configured to determine whether input of the secondinstruction is present, based on both the pressure information, which isacquired by the pressure information acquirer when the touch positioninformation acquired by the touch position information acquirerindicates that a touch to the second area is present, and adetermination result by the first determiner based on the touch positioninformation.

Aspect D4

A recording medium having recorded therein a program for causing aprocessor to function as:

a touch position information acquirer configured to acquire touchposition information regarding a touch position on a touch panel, thetouch panel including a first area for inputting a first instruction anda second area for inputting a second instruction;

a pressure information acquirer configured to acquire pressureinformation regarding a pressure applied to the touch panel;

a first determiner configured to determine, based on the touch positioninformation acquired by the touch position information acquirer, whetherinput of the first instruction is present; and

a second determiner configured to determine, when a determination resultby the first determiner based on the touch position informationindicative of presence of a touch to the second area is negative,whether input of the second instruction is present based on the pressureinformation acquired by the pressure information acquirer when the touchposition information acquirer acquires the touch position information,

wherein processes based on the first instruction and the secondinstruction are not affected by the touch to the second area, during aperiod in which the determination result by the first determiner basedon the touch position information indicative of the presence of thetouch to the second area is affirmative.

E: Supplemental Notes

For example, the present invention is understood as follows on the basisof the above descriptions. In the following descriptions, referencesigns in the drawings are denoted in parentheses for convenience inorder to facilitate understanding of each aspect, but the presentinvention is not limited to these aspects illustrated in the drawings.

Supplemental Note 1

A recording medium according to one aspect of the present invention hasrecorded therein a program that causes one or more processors (14) tofunction as a touch information acquirer (1401) configured to acquiretouch information regarding at least one of an area and a shape of atouch area (S) on a touch panel (11) with which an object (F) comes incontact, and a determiner (1402) configured to determine, when the touchinformation acquired by the touch information acquirer (1401) indicatesthat a contact between the object (F) and the touch panel (11) ispresent, whether input of an instruction regarding a direction in thetouch panel (11) is present, based on the touch information.

According to the present aspect, in a situation in which the object (F)comes in contact with the touch panel (11), such a state in which noinput of an instruction regarding the direction in the touch panel (11)is present can be realized. Therefore, erroneous input based on a touchat a position not intended by a user can be reduced. Furthermore, theuser can realize a state in which an instruction regarding the directionin the touch panel (11) is not input without performing a loaded motionto release the thumb (F) from the touch panel (11). Therefore, thefunction of the UI (User Interface) can be enhanced; in other words, thefunction of the UI can be improved.

In this aspect, the “object” may be an object having a feature in whichat least one of the area or the shape of the touch area (S) on the touchpanel 11 with which the object comes in contact changes in accordancewith a change in the posture of the object in a state in which theobject comes in contact with the touch panel (11). The “object” may bean object having a feature in which at least one of the area or theshape of the touch area (S) on the touch panel (11) with which theobject comes in contact changes in accordance with a change in thepressure applied to the touch panel (11) in a state in which the objectcomes in contact with the touch panel (11).

Specifically, the “object” may be a human digit, or it may be a pointerhaving a pen shape of which a tip end is formed by an elastic body suchas one of rubber.

In this aspect, the “instruction regarding a direction in the touchpanel (11)” may be an instruction including information indicating adirection based on the “touch panel (11)” or a “coordinate systemprovided on the touch panel (11)”.

The information indicating a direction based on the “touch panel (11)”or the “coordinate system provided on the touch panel (11)” may beinformation indicated by a vector having the direction based on the“touch panel (11)” or the “coordinate system provided on the touch panel(11)”.

In this aspect, the “direction in the touch panel (11)” may be adirection on a plane in which the touch panel (11) is present, or mayinclude a component in a normal direction with respect to the touchpanel (11).

The “direction on a plane in which the touch panel (11) is present” maybe a direction indicated by upward, downward, rightward, and leftwarddirection keys displayed or virtually set on the touch panel (11) orindicated by a cross key displayed or virtually set on the touch panel(11).

The “recording medium” may be incorporated in, or attached to, theinformation processing apparatus having the processor that executes theprogram. Furthermore, in a situation in which a program is recorded in astorage device provided in a server, and the server distributes theprogram recorded in the storage device, the storage device provided inthe server is an example of the “recording medium”.

Supplemental Note 2

In a recording medium according to another aspect of the presentinvention, in the recording medium according to the supplemental note 1,the touch information is information regarding the area of the toucharea (S), and the determiner (1402) is configured to determine that theinput of the instruction is present when a first condition regarding thearea of the touch area (S) indicated by the touch information issatisfied.

According to the present aspect, a user can realize a state in which aninstruction regarding the direction in the touch panel (11) is notinput, by adjusting the area of the touch area (S) so as not to satisfythe first condition.

In this aspect, the “first condition” may be a “condition that the areaof the touch area does not belong to a first range”, or a “conditionthat the area of the touch area belongs to a second range”.

The “first range” may be a range in which the area of the touch area (S)can change, for example, in a state in which the pressure between anobject and the touch panel (11) is equal to or less than a predeterminedvalue.

The “second range” may be a range of the area that is different from thefirst range, the maximum of the range of the area being equal to orsmaller than the area of the touch panel (11).

The “first range” and the “second range” may each be a fixed range, or arange changed by a user.

Supplemental Note 3

In a recording medium according to another aspect of the presentinvention, in the recording medium according to the supplemental note 1,the touch information is information regarding the shape of the toucharea (S), and the determiner (1402) is configured to determine that theinput of the instruction is present when a second condition regardingthe shape of the touch area (S) indicated by the touch information issatisfied.

According to the present aspect, a user can realize a state in which aninstruction regarding the direction in the touch panel (11) is notinput, by adjusting the shape of the touch area (S) so as not to satisfythe second condition.

In this aspect, the “second condition” may be a condition in which oneor a plurality of index values defined in accordance with the shape ofthe touch area (S) have a predetermined feature.

Here, “one or a plurality of index values” may be the aspect ratio ofthe touch area (S), or the direction of the touch area (S).

The “direction of the touch area (S)” may be, in a case in which thetouch area (S) is approximated by an ellipse, a direction of a long axisof the ellipse as seen from the coordinate system fixed on the touchpanel (11) (for example, a value of each component of a unit vectorextending in the long axis direction), or a direction of a short axis ofthe ellipse (for example, a value of each component of a unit vectorextending in the short axis direction).

When “one or a plurality of index values” is the “aspect ratio of thetouch area (S)”, the “second condition” may be a “condition that theaspect ratio does not belong to a third range”, or a “condition that theaspect ratio belongs to a fourth range”.

The “third range” may be a range in which the aspect ratio of the toucharea (S) can change in a state in which the pressure between the objectand the touch panel (11) is equal to or less than a predetermined value.

The “fourth range” may be a range excluding the third range from a rangegreater than “0”.

When “one or a plurality of index values” is the “direction of the toucharea (S)”, the “second condition” may be a “condition that the long axisdirection of the ellipse approximating the touch area (S) does notbelong to a fifth range”, or a “condition that the long axis directionof the ellipse approximating the touch area (S) belongs to a sixthrange”.

The “fifth range” may be a range in which the long axis direction of theellipse approximating the touch area (S) can change in the coordinatesystem fixed on the touch panel (11), in a case in which the pressurebetween the object and the touch panel (11) is equal to or less than apredetermined value.

The “sixth range” may be a range excluding the fifth range from a rangein the coordinate system fixed on the touch panel.

The third to sixth ranges may each be a fixed range or a range changedby a user.

Supplemental Note 4

In a recording medium according to another aspect of the presentinvention, in the recording medium according to the supplemental note 1,the touch information is information regarding the area of the toucharea (S), and the determiner (1402) is configured to determine, based ona speed of a change in the area of the touch area (S) indicated by thetouch information, whether the input of the instruction is present.

A state in which the speed of a change in the area of the touch area (S)on the touch panel (11), with which the object (F) comes in contact,becomes equal to or greater than a certain value is assumed to be astate in which a user is inputting some kind of instruction to the touchpanel (11).

Therefore, according to the present aspect, it can be determined whetherinput of an instruction regarding the direction in the touch panel (11)is present, on the basis of the speed of a change in the area of thetouch area (S).

Supplemental Note 5

In a recording medium according to another aspect of the presentinvention, in the recording medium according to the supplemental note 1,the touch information is information regarding the shape of the toucharea (S), and the determiner (1402) is configured to determine, based ona speed of a change in an index value defined in accordance with theshape of the touch area (S) indicated by the touch information, whetherthe input of the instruction is present.

A state in which the speed of a change in the index value defined inaccordance with the shape of the touch area (S) on the touch panel (11),with which the object (F) comes in contact, becomes equal to or greaterthan a certain value is assumed to be a state in which a user isinputting some kind of instruction to the touch panel (11).

Therefore, according to the present aspect, it can be determined whetherinput of an instruction regarding the direction in the touch panel (11)is present, on the basis of the speed of a change in the index valuedefined in accordance with the shape of the touch area (S).

Supplemental Note 6

In a recording medium according to another aspect of the presentinvention, in the recording medium according to any one of thesupplemental notes 1 to 5, the program causes the one or more processors(14) to further function as a pressure information acquirer (145)configured to acquire pressure information regarding a pressure appliedto the touch panel (11), and the determiner (1402) is configured todetermine, further based on the pressure information acquired by thepressure information acquirer (145), whether the input of theinstruction is present.

For example, in a state in which a user does not intend to input aninstruction regarding the direction in the touch panel (11), if the areaor the shape of the touch area (S) between the touch panel (11) and theuser's digit incidentally corresponds to an instruction regarding thedirection in the touch panel (11), an erroneous instruction is input.

In such a situation, it is assumed that user's awareness with respect tothe digit is low, and the pressure applied to the touch panel (11) issmall.

According to the present aspect, it is determined whether input of aninstruction regarding the direction in the touch panel (11) is present,on the basis of the pressure information, in addition to the area or theshape of the touch area.

Therefore, for example, even if the area or the shape of the touch area(S) between the touch panel (11) and the user's digit corresponds to aninstruction regarding the direction in the touch panel (11), it can bedetermined that no input of an instruction regarding the direction inthe touch panel (11) is present, on the basis of the pressure applied tothe touch panel (11).

Supplemental Note 7

In a recording medium according to another aspect of the presentinvention, in the recording medium according to the supplemental note 6,the determiner (1402) is configured to determine, when a third conditionregarding the pressure indicated by the pressure information issatisfied, that the input of the instruction is present.

According to the present aspect, for example, even if the area or theshape of the touch area (S) between the touch panel (11) and the user'sdigit corresponds to an instruction regarding the direction in the touchpanel (11), when the third condition is not satisfied, it can bedetermined that no input of an instruction regarding the direction inthe touch panel (11) is present.

In this aspect, the “third condition” may be a “condition that thepressure indicated by the pressure information is equal to or greaterthan a threshold”.

The “threshold” is a threshold for determining whether input of aninstruction is present, and may be a fixed value or a value changed by auser.

Supplemental Note 8

In a recording medium according to another aspect of the presentinvention, in the recording medium according to any one of thesupplemental notes 1 to 7, the program causes the one or more processors(14) to further function as a vibration controller (148) configured tovibrate the touch panel (11), when a determination result by thedeterminer (1402) changes.

According to the present aspect, a user can intuitively recognize achange of the instruction regarding the direction in the touch panel(11) by the vibration of the touch panel (11).

Supplemental Note 9 In a recording medium according to another aspect ofthe present invention, in the recording medium according to any one ofsupplemental notes 1 to 8, the program causes the one or more processors(14) to further function as a display controller (143) configured todisplay information regarding the direction indicated by the instructionon the touch panel (11).

According to the present aspect, a user can visually recognize an inputresult of the instruction regarding the direction in the touch panel(11).

Supplemental Note 10

An information processing apparatus (10) according to another aspect ofthe present invention includes a touch information acquirer (1401)configured to acquire touch information regarding at least one of anarea and a shape of a touch area (S) on a touch panel (11) with which anobject (F) comes in contact, and a determiner (1402) configured todetermine, when the touch information acquired by the touch informationacquirer (1401) indicates that a contact between the object (F) and thetouch panel (11) is present, whether input of an instruction regarding adirection in the touch panel (11) is present, based on the touchinformation.

According to the present aspect, such a state in which no input of aninstruction regarding the direction in the touch panel (11) is presentcan be realized in a situation with an object (F) coining in contactwith the touch panel (11). Therefore, erroneous input based on a touchto a position not intended by a user can be reduced. Furthermore, theuser can realize a state in which an instruction regarding the directionin the touch panel (11) is not being input, without performing a loadedoperation of releasing the thumb (F) from the touch panel (11).

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE SIGNS

10 . . . information processing apparatus, 11 . . . touch panel, 12 . .. pressure detector, 13 . . . vibrator, 14 . . . controller, 15 . . .storage device, 141 . . . game controller, 142 . . . setter, 143 . . .display controller, 144 . . . touch position information acquirer, 145 .. . pressure information acquirer, 146, 146A . . . input presencedeterminer, 146A1 . . . first input presence determiner, 146A2 . . .second input presence determiner, 147 . . . instruction determiner, 148. . . vibration controller, 149 . . . detector, 1401 . . . touchinformation acquirer, 1402 . . . determiner, 1403 . . . right-and-leftdetermination area setter.

What is claimed is:
 1. A non-transitory computer-readable recordingmedium having recorded therein a program for causing a processor tofunction as: a touch information acquirer configured to acquire touchinformation regarding at least one of an area and a shape of a toucharea on a touch panel with which an object comes in contact; and adeterminer configured to determine, when the touch information acquiredby the touch information acquirer indicates that a contact between theobject and the touch panel is present, whether input of an instructionregarding a direction in the touch panel is present, based on the touchinformation.
 2. The recording medium according to claim 1, wherein thetouch information is information regarding the area of the touch area,and the determiner is configured to determine that the input of theinstruction is present when a first condition regarding the area of thetouch area indicated by the touch information is satisfied.
 3. Therecording medium according to claim 1, wherein the touch information isinformation regarding the shape of the touch area, and the determiner isconfigured to determine that the input of the instruction is presentwhen a second condition regarding the shape of the touch area indicatedby the touch information is satisfied.
 4. The recording medium accordingto claim 1, wherein the touch information is information regarding thearea of the touch area, and the determiner is configured to determine,based on a speed of a change in the area of the touch area indicated bythe touch information, whether the input of the instruction is present.5. The recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the touchinformation is information regarding the shape of the touch area, andthe determiner is configured to determine, based on a speed of a changein an index value defined in accordance with the shape of the touch areaindicated by the touch information, whether the input of the instructionis present.
 6. The recording medium according to claim 1, wherein theprogram causes the one or more processors to further function as apressure information acquirer configured to acquire pressure informationregarding a pressure applied to the touch panel, and wherein thedeterminer is configured to determine, further based on the pressureinformation acquired by the pressure information acquirer, whether theinput of the instruction is present.
 7. The recording medium accordingto claim 6, wherein the determiner is configured to determine, when athird condition regarding the pressure indicated by the pressureinformation is satisfied, that the input of the instruction is present.8. The recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the program causesthe one or more processors to further function as a vibration controllerconfigured to vibrate the touch panel when a determination result by thedeterminer changes.
 9. The recording medium according to claim 1,wherein the program causes the one or more processors to furtherfunction as a display controller configured to display informationregarding a direction indicated by the instruction on the touch panel.10. An information processing apparatus comprising: a touch informationacquirer configured to acquire touch information regarding at least oneof an area and a shape of a touch area on a touch panel with which anobject comes in contact; and a determiner configured to determine, whenthe touch information acquired by the touch information acquirerindicates that a contact between the object and the touch panel ispresent, whether input of an instruction regarding a direction in thetouch panel is present, based on the touch information.
 11. A method ofprocessing information, the method comprising: acquiring touchinformation regarding at least one of an area and a shape of a toucharea on a touch panel with which an object comes in contact; anddetermining, when the touch information indicates that a contact betweenthe object and the touch panel is present, whether input of aninstruction regarding a direction in the touch panel is present, basedon the touch information.